The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s confidant and former chairman of Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. (KREDL), C.M. Nimbannavar, on Sunday announced his decision to quit the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) and return to his old party, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Mr. Nimbannavar, who unsuccessfully contested as KJP candidate from Kalaghatagi Assembly Constituency in the Assembly elections, told presspersons here on Sunday that he was only rectifying the mistake he had committed by quitting the BJP.
Addressing presspersons along with two office-bearers of the KJP’s district unit, Mr .Nimbannavar said he still considered Mr. Yeddyurappa as his leader. Mr. Nimbannavar clarified that he faced no problems while he was in the KJP, but had taken the decision to quit in the wake of the political developments leading to Narendra Modi being named prime ministerial candidate of the BJP.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Nimbannavar maintained that he had taken the decision to re-join the BJP after consulting his supporters and the electorate of Kalaghatagi constituency.
“The overall opinion was in favour of returning to the BJP in the interest of the development of the constituency,” he said.
To a query, Mr. Nimbannavar said although he had a very close association with Mr. Yeddyurappa, he was not sure whether he would remain in the KJP and build his party or return to the BJP. Mr. Nimbannavar said his supporters would join the BJP en masse including the office-bearers of the taluk unit of the KJP and a few district unit office-bearers. He said a formal function would be held in Kalaghatagi on October 12 in which BJP State president Pralhad Joshi and the former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar would participate.
ADVERTISEMENT