3 ex-Cong ministers join Karnataka BJP

BJP State president B S Yediyurappa told reporters here that the new entrants – who were followers of Congressman-turned BJP leader M Rajashekara Murthy – would not be distinguished from the old-BJP members. They would be given positions of responsibility in accordance with their popularity and service, he said.

Several other "sincere, nationalist and patriotic" Congress workers in other districts were trying to seek entry into the BJP, Yediyurappa said, adding that they were being prevented by the Congress party. Many Muslim leaders would join the party on July 23, he said observing that the party’s strength among the minorities, backward classes, scheduled castes and tribes was increasing.

Being a political party, the BJP would keep its doors open to those willing to enter the party, Yediyurappa said.

As for Chief Minister J H Patel’s decision to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, he said: "Patel supporting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at the national level is welcome." Continuing to hold that Patel was unwelcome as far as BJP’s state-level politics were concerned, he said that he had conveyed the State BJP’s views on Patel to the high-command. "The BJP’s central leadership has never overlooked the State unit’s opinion. I am sure that it will not in future," he said.

When asked about Patel’s talks with Vajpayee, he said: "We do not know what transpired in the talks. Patel himself is in a confused state. Let him first spell out his stand. We will react later."

The selection process for candidates to the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats would commence on July 23 at a meeting of the selection committee. The list of probables would be sent to Delhi by July 26, he said adding that the final list would almost be ready by the end of the month.

Talks on seat-sharing with the Lok Shakti would be held within the next few days, he added.