Yeddyurappa predicts hung Assembly

By launching his own political outfit, Karnataka Janata Party (KJP), former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa wants to become kingmaker during the formation of the new government after the Assembly polls.

According to sources close to him, Yeddyurappa during a marathon luncheon meeting he had with his loyalist ministers and MLAs here on Tuesday explained the idea behind his decision to form a party and how it would benefit those who came with him. He is also said to have explained the political losses the MLAs would suffer if they continued to be in the BJP.

According to him, sources said, no party would get a majority in the next elections and the BJP would have to sit in the Opposition.

Yeddyurappa is understood to have told his supporters that if the KJP won around 30-40 seats, they could join hands with any party and enjoy power as there would be no high command to dictate terms.

‘’I firmly believe that there will be a hung Assembly, and in such a situation the BJP cannot go either with the JD(S) or the Congress to form the government owing to its principles and ideology. But the KJP can join hands with anybody including the BJP,’’ he allegedly told them while persuading to join him.

Contrary to the expectations, Yeddyurappa’s luncheon meeting got good response. Forty-two MLAs, including 10 ministers, 13 MLCs and nine MPs, turned up at his meeting.

Five MLAs and two Rajya Sabha members allegedly expressed solidarity with Yeddyurappa over phone. However, the Yeddyurappa camp claimed that around 60 MLAs attended the meeting.

All MLAs decided to support Yeddyurappa in whatever decisions he took, including formation of the new party, ministers C M Udasi and Basavaraj Bommai said after the meeting.

Asked if they would participate in the December 10 programme at Haveri where Yeddyurappa would announce formation of his party, they said they would take a decision before the programme. However, they reiterated that they would not topple the Jagadish Shettar government as they had made him the CM.

After the meeting, they watched the Kannada movie Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna at a private cinema where a special screening was arranged for them.