Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Apr 5: Former minister, V Somanna, who kept everyone guessing about his political moves, announced on Thursday April 4 that he would remain with the BJP. The announcement came at the end of his prolonged consultation with R Ashok at the Somanna’s residence. He is likely to be fielded by the party as a candidate from Govindarajanagar constituency in the city.

Somanna, who had been elected on a Congress ticket from the above constituency in the last election, had resigned and joined BJP midway, before being made a minister.  He was considered a staunch loyalist of B S Yeddyurappa. Since the last some weeks, people had been speculating about his decision to join the Congress, JDS, or KJP.

Clarifying his position, Somanna confessed that there was pressure on him to join KJP. “Even now, Yeddyurappa continues to be my leader, and I am disappointed at his decision to desert BJP. At the time I joined BJP, I had declared that I will continue in this party till my political retirement. I stick by that declaration,” he added.

Former industries minister, Murugesh Nirani, also decided to remain in BJP. Nirani, who had taken part in the KJP meeting at Jamakhandi on Wednesday, and had made known his decision to shift his constituency from Beelagi to Jamakhandi, made a turnaround on Thursday, by declaring that he would contest again from Beelagi on a BJP ticket. “I have been with the BJP for the last two decades, and I will never leave this party,” he announced.  Nirani made this announcement after holding secret parleys with Jagadish Shettar during the later’s visit to Belgaum to take part in Vijay Sankalp Yatra of the BJP at Belgaum.