Bangalore: Yeddy loyalist Renukacharya spurns KJP, to contest on BJP ticket
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Mar 20: Staunch and one of the most vocal loyalist of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Excise Minister M P Renukacharya has decided not join the former’s KJP and stick to the ruling BJP.
''I will contest on the BJP ticket from my Honnali assembly constituency in the ensuing State Assembly elections on May 5," he said.
Renukacharya, who was widely expected to join Yeddyurappa’s regional outfit KJP before the assembly elections, declared at the news conference in Bangalore on Wednesday: ''I will not leave BJP. I have all the respect for Yeddyurappaji. But I have decided not to join KJP."
The KJP leaders have been claiming that Renukacharya would join the KJP along with other couple of other senior Ministers in the Jagadish Shettar government soon after announcement of calendar of polls to the legislative assembly.
Renukacharya said he would contest the elections from Honnali, a constituency he is representing in the current Assembly.
Renukacharya, a loyalist of Lingayat strongman Yeddyurppa, said that his supporters and the people of his constituency were in favour of continuing in the BJP.
He claimed that he had introduced several reforms in the Excise department after he becoming the minister and said the Department’s revenue increased from Rs 7200 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 11,000 crore in 2012-13.
The department recorded collection of Rs 9827.89 crore in 2011-12 against the target of Rs 9,200 crore, an increase of Rs 627.89 crore, the minister noted.
B B Shivappa Sworn in as MLC
Meanwhile, veteran BJP leader B B Shivappa, a former State president of party, was sworn in as the member of the Karnataka State Legislative Council to fill up the vacancy caused by the resignation of newspaper and transport tycoon Vijay Sankeshwar from BJP to join Yeddyurappa’s KJP.
Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy administered the oath to Shivappa in the presence of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, State BJP president K S Eshwarappa, Ministers and several party leaders.
Shivappa’s term would come to close by June 2014.
The 83-year-old Lingayat leader Shivappa, who played a crucial role in building the party organisation as its State president in its initial years, was elected MLA twice for Sakleshpur and had also served as MLC for a term.
Later speaking to presspersons, Shivappa said he would continue to fight against corruption both inside and outside the Council.
A large number of relatives of Shivappa attended the programme.