Zee Media Bureau
Bangalore: Former Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa on Thursday rejoined the BJP and merged his Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Earlier, after getting nod from the BJP last week in the national capital, state party leaders had met Yeddyurappa in Delhi and had asked him to decide a date for his formal return to the party.
Sources in BJP`s central leadership had said that his return to the party fold will be unconditional and Yeddy will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
But, the return of BJP`s `khaas man` to the party may further boost the political fortunes of BJP. Yeddyurappa had walked out of the party in 2012 alleging betrayal.
As per BJP sources, Yeddy may be fielded from the Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency.
At present, the seat is represented by Yeddy`s son, BY Raghavendra, while the ex-CM represents Shikaripur in the Legislative Assembly.
Yeddyurappa had announced the merger decision, saying, "All formalities will be completed within three or four days. From this minute, we both are going to work for winning more than 20 (of the 28) Lok Sabha seats in the state."
KJP had garnered six seats and 10 per cent vote share in the Assembly polls but had failed make a big impact as an independent force, creating an uncertain future for the party.
"From this moment, we will forget the past..." Yeddyurappa had said, who had snapped his more than four decades old association with BJP in December 2012 nursing bitterness against central leadership for removing him as chief minister.
