December 4, the day Delhi goes to polls, may see the merger of Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) with the BJP, a move that may further boost Narendra Modi’s chances of winning the 2014 general elections.
Post the merger, KJP President BS Yeddyurappa is likely to be made the chairman of the state campaign committee for the Lok Sabha polls.
According to the plan, state BJP President Prahlad Venkatesh Joshi along with parliamentary board member and south Bengaluru MP Ananth Kumar will break bread with Lingayat strongman Yeddyurappa at the latter’s house. The three leaders will then announce the merger from the BJP state unit headquarters.
“A section of the BJP leadership wanted Yeddyurappa as member of the National Democratic Alliance, but majority prevailed over them,” a senior BJP leader said.
“Chances of a December 4 merger are very high,” he added.
Senior party leaders said BJP President Rajnath Singh is likely to issue a statement from Delhi welcoming the return of Yeddyurappa, who left the party on November 30, 2012.
Modi, BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, as well as leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley had quietly pushed for the return of Yeddyurappa and worked behind the scene on reconciliation particularly with party patriarch LK Advani and MP Ananth Kumar.
{{/usCountry}}Modi, BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, as well as leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley had quietly pushed for the return of Yeddyurappa and worked behind the scene on reconciliation particularly with party patriarch LK Advani and MP Ananth Kumar.
{{/usCountry}}Yeddyurappa resigned as Karnataka chief minister on July 31, 2011 amidst allegations of involvement in mining scandal and land deals.
The merger is expected to stem the electoral deterioration of the national party, which lost the state assembly to the Congress in May 2013 elections shedding no less than 70 seats.