Yeddyurappa hastens formalities on merger with BJP

Bangalore: Moving swiftly on formalities, B S Yeddyurappa-led KJP today conveyed to Karnataka Assembly Speaker its decision to merge with BJP, a development that may strip JD(S) of principal opposition status in the House.

Yeddyurappa, along with three other KJP MLAs out of the party's strength of six -- U B Bankar, U B Patil and Gurupadappa Nagamarapally met Speaker Kagodu Thimappa and submitted a letter on the merger of KJP with BJP.

After weeks of intense unity efforts, Yeddyurappa and BJP leaders had yesterday announced the merger of KJP, paving the way for "unconditional" homecoming of the Lingayat strongman, a year after be broke away from BJP.

JD(S) might lose the principal opposition status as the merger would increase BJP's tally of seats.

Both BJP and JD(S) had secured 40 seats each in the May 8 Assembly polls but the latter was given the principal opposition status on the basis of percentage of votes secured by it.

Yeddyurappa said he would also write to the Election Commission on KJP's merger with BJP. Asked whether other two KJP legislators B R Patil and Guru Patil would join BJP, Yeddyurappa said everybody will be with him.

"I have been in touch with B R Patil and will hold a meeting with him today or tomorrow. Gurupadappa is with us and everyone else will be with us," he said.

B R Patil had reportedly said that his "nature and political culture" did not allow him to join either BJP or Congress. "I will consult voters in my constituency before taking any decision on the merger," he had said.

Guru Patil had also said he would decide after consulting the voters of his constituency. Earlier, Nagmarpally was against the merger but agreed on certain conditions.

Yeddyurappa also said formalities of joining BJP would take another five days.

He said he was not expecting any post in BJP and expressed confidence about receiving people's support for him as several schemes initiated during his chief ministership has benefited all sections of the society.

Next: Modi is the only hope, says Yeddyurappa

Modi is the only hope, says Yeddyurappa

Bangalore: Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who announced his party KJP's decision to merge with BJP, today flayed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's comment that Narendra Modi as PM would be "disastrous" for the country and said the Gujarat Chief Minister was the "only hope".

"The only hope in the country is Narendra Modi because people are disappointed with the Congress' rule in the country. That is why they are expecting good governance from him. There is no alternative to him," he told reporters.

Singh, in a rare press conference in New Delhi today, had said that "without discussing the merits of Modi, I sincerely believe that it will be disastrous for the country to have him as prime minister."

Announcing the merger, Yeddyurappa had said yesterday that he was back to BJP to support Modi for prime ministership.