Former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna will join the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday.
Senior BJP leader R. Ashok told The Hindu that the veteran leader would join the party in the presence of national president Amit Shah at the party’s national headquarters in New Delhi at 5 p.m..
The 84-year-old Mr. Krishna severed his nearly 50-year-old association with the Congress on January 28, expressing dissatisfaction with being ignored by the party high command.
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Mr. Krishna put off his plan to join the BJP last week after the death of his sister. Though he had reached New Delhi to hold consultations with Mr. Shah and to join the party, he had to rush back to Bengaluru after hearing the news of her death.
It is learnt that the BJP State unit is keen to have Mr. Krishna into its fold before by-elections to the Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly constituencies are completed, as it wants to use his political influence in this part of the State to its advantage.
Mr. Ashok said the BJP was planning to organise a reception for Mr. Krishna when he arrives at the Bengaluru International Airport from New Delhi on Thursday morning. The party wants to take him in a procession from the airport to its State headquarters in Malleshwaram. Party workers would take out a motorbike rally from the airport to the BJP office.
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BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa will not attend Mr. Krishna’s BJP joining programme as he is campaigning in Nanjangud and Gundlupet. Other prominent BJP leaders from the State would be present, it is learnt.