JD(S) leader Subhash Guttedar joins saffron party, BR Patil in dilemma

Gulbarga: While his rival and Aland MLA, B R Patil, has made little headway in his efforts to join the BJP, former MLA and JD(S) district president, Subhash Guttedar joined the saffron party earlier this week taking everyone by surprise.

Mr Patil, who was elected on a Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) ticket in 2013 from Aland defeating Mr Guttedar, did not join former Chief Minister, B S Yeddyurappa when he merged his outfit with the BJP and chose instead to work for Mr Dharam Singh of the Congress in Bidar during the recent Lok Sabha polls.

He is also said to have been instrumental in the government closing down all liquor stores owned by Mr Guttedar, sharpening their rivalry.

But with the emergence of Mr Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, the MLA reportedly started sending feelers to Mr Yeddyurappa about his interest in the BJP, but was cold shouldered.

While he doggedly continued his efforts despite the poor response, Mr Guttedar used his long standing relationship with senior BJP leader, Revu Naik Belamagi to push his case with the saffron party and met state party president, Prahlad Joshi on October 21, who inducted him into the party the same day.

While Mr Guttedar claims he has joined the party without any preconditions, he has hinted that he was hoping for a BJP ticket from Aland in the next election. Asked why he had joined the BJP, he said he was inspired by the “pro-people governance” of the Prime Minister.