HUBBALLI: Speculation over senior JDS leader Basavaraj Horatti joining the BJP ended after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Bengaluru on Tuesday. An influential Lingayat leader approaching the top BJP leader on Basava Jayanti holds more prominence as the saffron party wants to further consolidate its position among the Lingayats.
Horatti’s hobnobbing with the BJP was no secret as he had himself announced last month that he would contest the upcoming MLC polls from West Teachers’ constituency on a BJP ticket, and would join the saffron party once the poll schedule was announced.
“I met the Home Minister, who said that he knew about my over four-decade track record as legislator and welcomed me to join the BJP. He said me joining the BJP will mean a lot for the party,” Horatti told TNIE. “I will resign as Legislative Council chairman on May 11 and later join the party on a day fixed by the leadership, ‘’ he added.
The exit of Horatti, a prominent Lingayat face of North Karnataka, is a big loss to the JDS. He is the second leader deserting the party in a span of six months as former MLA N H Konaraddi joined the Congress last December. Horatti, however, said he has high regard for JDS supremo and former PM HD Deve Gowda. He said he was joining the BJP due to changed circumstances and voters’ response. In March this year, the BJP’s Central Election Committee did not name a candidate for the West Teachers’ constituency.
Though there is dissent within BJP in fielding Horatti, the seven-time MLC reiterated that he will be contesting on a BJP ticket. “Him in the fray will make it easy for the BJP to win... he is certainly an asset to the party,” a senior BJP leader told TNIE.