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BJP has shied away from early re-entry of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa into the party fold, apprehending that a green signal would provide "ammunition" to the Congress to attack it.
"It's a question of the party's image. We don't want to give a stick to the Congress to beat us," a senior BJP leader said, who expects possible coming back of the political heavyweight closer to the elections, when defections from one party to another are seen as "normal".
KJP garnered nearly ten per cent of the total vote share, damaging the prospects of BJP, which sought a mandate to return to power, with the Congress registering a landslide victory.
BJP state unit yesterday released a list of its new office-bearers and chiefs of various Morchas, virtually shutting the door on aspirants from KJP, who were expected to be accommodated in case of an early merger. Yeddyurappa has also sought to harden his stand. "There is no question of going back to the BJP. I plead with people not to make efforts towards my return to BJP," he said. KJP has already made it clear it would support the NDA.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, a key figure pushing for his return to the party, told reporters that Yeddyurappa's pain (that he had to leave the party which he nurtured and built) was understandable, adding, BJP's high-command would have to take decision on taking him back.
KJP sources said the party has sought a key position for Yeddyurappa in decision-making process as a pre-condition for his return, but BJP leaders said their central leadership has not given a green signal, which is expected to come only closer to the Lok Sabha elections.
Workers to be charged Rs 10 to attend Modi's rally
BJP plans to charge Rs 10 from party workers who want to attend the proposed public rally of the outfit's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Bangalore next month."There is a thinking in the party to charge Rs 10 and this decision is almost final," a senior party functionary said.
The Gujarat Chief Minister is slated to address the public meeting in the second half of next month, which the party's state unit hopes would kick-start preparations for next year's general elections.
Senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu is the rally in-charge, and the party is scouting for a suitable location for the rally which it expects would attract a five-lakh strong crowd.
Tickets priced at Rs 5 were sold to the public for Modi's programme in Hyderabad earlier this year, and the party would charge a similar amount for party workers for his September 25 rally in Bhopal. BJP sought to downplay the Rs 10 entry charge for its workers saying it is common in the "Pariwar" conventions where they participate after paying a fee.
"The move is to get people committed to the party, its ideology and Modi," the functionary argued, adding that party workers can buy Rs 10 pass online to attend the rally of the outfit's poll mascot.
