Bangalore: My innings with BJP is closed chapter - Yeddyurappa
 
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, May 29: Former chief minister and KJP President B S Yeddyurappa, who was largely responsible for the humiliating debacle to the ruling BJP in the recent assembly polls, has ruled out of going back to the saffron party.

''My innings with BJP is a closed chapter. I will not return to BJP under any circumstances,” declared the Lingayat strongman.

In an informal chat with reporters in the lobby the State assembly as the first day of the 14th  legislative assembly got underway, Yeddyurappa was visibly annoyed at a section of the BJP leaders for their attempts to create confusion in the minds of the his supporters and the people that he was ''knocking on the doors of BJP.”

“It's totally false and baseless. I will not return to BJP at any cost,” he said.

Yeddyurappa said his immediate priority was to strengthen the KJP in the State for the coming Lok Sabha polls.

The people have given the mandate KJP to sit in the Opposition, he said and asserted that he has ''no problem in sitting in the opposition benches.”
 

BJP Has No Plans to Invite BSY: Shettar
 
Meanwhile, former BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who spoke to reporters separately, denied reports of his party sending feelers to persuade Yeddyurappa to return to the BJP.

''There is no thinking or discussion in any forum to bring back Yeddyurappa to BJP,” he said.

Shettar said: ''Our party has not sent anybody to meet and convince Yeddyurappa to come back to BJP. There has to be reciprocation from both the parties for any proposal to materialise.”

Replying to a question, Shettar said the BJP succeeded in denting KJP in many constituencies while KJP took away the traditional votes of the party in a few Assembly segments.

''The division of votes benefitted the Congress party,” he said pointing out that the BJP workers have come out of the shock and were getting ready to face the Lok Sabha polls.

“We are confident of winning more number of seats than Congress in the parliamentary elections”, he claimed.
 

Implement Decision on New Taluks
 
The BJP leader warned that people would not allow the ruling party MLA or ministers to enter their taluks if the Congress Government dumped the BJP government’s decision of creating new taluks.

Carving out of new taluks was recommended by four committees and it was not a sudden decision of the previous government, he said explaining that the people of the respective regions had been demanding creation of new taluks for a long time.

Commenting on the style of functioning of Chief Minister, Shettar said Siddaramaiah appeared to be in a tearing hurry for some reasons.

The Chief Minister has been taking decisions without knowing its implications or holding proper consultations either with his officials or party colleagues.

“I cannot understand why he (Siddaramaiah) is in so much of a hurry as he has five years to go,” he said wondering if the chief minister had any doubts of lasting the full term.

''We will support any pro-people and development-oriented schemes,” he said.