All indications are that KJP supremo B S Yeddyurappa has convinced one more reluctant MLA to back him, and cleared all hurdles for the mid-January merger of his party with the BJP.
Three KJP legislators from the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, who had earlier opposed the merger idea, have softened their stand.
Sources close to Bidar KJP legislator Gurupadappa Nagamarapally told Express he had held talks with Yeddyurappa and agreed to the merger on certain conditions.
The sources would not reveal Nagamarpally’s conditions, though. When Express contacted Nagamarpally, he did not deny rumours that he would go with Yeddyurappa. “Wait and watch,” he said, for the record.
Two other KJP legislators, U B Bankar and U B Patil, have pledged their support to mentor Yeddyurappa. If Nagamarpally joins them, four of the total six MLAs of the party (including Yeddyurappa) will be in support of the merger.
However, B R Patil of Aland and Guru Patil of Shahapur, also MLAs from Hyderabad Karnataka, are not so enthusiastic about the merger.
B R Patil told Express his “nature and political culture” did not allow him to join either the BJP or the Congress. “I will consult voters in my constituency before taking any decision on the merger,” he said. Guru Patil also said he would take a decision after consulting the voters of his constituency.
Senior advocate P Vilaskumar said if four of the six MLAs agree to the merger, they would face no legal hurdle.
After the merger, KJP legislators will be considered BJP legislators. Legislators who refuse to be a party to the merger will become independent legislators.
The anti-defection law is silent on whether they will be considered BJP MLAs if they decide to join the party at a later date, Vilaskumar said.
‘Return to BJP is Unconditional’
Shimoga: Asserting that his return to the BJP was unconditional, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said the BJP will benefit from the move.
At the KJP workers meet convened on Monday, he declared that he had decided to merge the KJP with the BJP. The BJP would win more seats in the parliamentary elections if there was mutual harmony and earlier episodes were not raked up, he said.
He clarified that he would not aspire to hold any position in the BJP as long as the KJP workers were treated cordially. He said his priority was to ensure respect for all KJP leaders and workers.
“In the interest of the nation, my stand is to merge the parties and it will be communicated to BJP leaders. We do not want any position but we should be treated with respect,” he said. “Having grown in the backdrop of the Sangh Parivar, people are curious as to what decision I will take when the entire nation is looking up to Narendra Modi,” he said.
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