Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa wants to become a kingmaker in forming a new government in the state after the next Assembly elections by launching his own political outfit, the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP).
According to sources close to him, Yeddyurappa during his marathon luncheon meeting with his loyalist ministers and MLAs here on Tuesday, explained the idea behind his decision to form the new party and how it would benefit those who come with him. He is also said to have explained the political losses the MLAs would suffer if they continue in the BJP.
According to him, no party would get majority in the next elections and the BJP would have to sit in the opposition. Where as, if the KJP win around 30-40 seats, they can join hands with any party and enjoy power as there will be no high command to dictate terms.
“I firmly believe that there will be hung Assembly and in such a situation the BJP cannot go either with the JD(S) or Congress and form the government owing to party’s principle and ideology.
But being in KJP, we can join hands with anybody including the BJP,” he is said to have told the legislators while persuading them to join his new political party.
Good response
Contrary to the expectations, Yeddyurappa’s luncheon meeting got good response as around 42 MLAs including 10 ministers, 13 MLCs and 9 MPs turned out to the event. As many as five MLAs and two Rajya Sabha members said to have expressed solidarity with Yeddyurappa over phone. However, Yeddyurappa camp claimed that around 60 MLAs attended the meeting.
“All MLAs decided to support Yeddyurappa in whatever decisions he takes including the formation of the new party,” said ministers C M Udasi and Basavaraj Bommai after the meeting.
When asked if they would participate in the December 10 programme at Haveri where Yeddyurappa will announce his new party, both said they would take a decision before the programme. However, they reiterated that they would not topple the Jagadish Shettar government as they had made him the CM.
Visit cancelled
In-charge of Karnataka BJP Dharmendra Pradhan’s scheduled visit to Bangalore to solve issues in the state has been cancelled.
He was supposed to land here on Tuesday night and hold meetings with the ministers and party
MPs on Wednesday. These meetings have also been cancelled as the party high command is riddled with other issues.