Davangere : Even as former minister M P Renukacharya on Friday announced that he would soon join the Karnataka Janatha Party (KJP) at a massive rally to be attended by 60,000 of his supporters, senior party leaders, including former minister Shobha Karandlaje, have reportedly opposed his entry into the party.

Addressing presspersons here, the expelled BJP leader said he took the decision to join the KJP after meeting his supporters in the constituency during the last four-five days. He also held discussions with KJP chief and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who has invited him to Bangalore for another round of talks on Saturday.

After the Saturday’s meeting he would announce the date of joining the KJP.

Cold war

However, Renukacharya’s entry into the party may not be a smooth affair as senior KJP leaders are opposing it.

Party sources in Davangere said senior KJP leaders such as Karandlaje, former Harihar legislator B P Harish and others were against his entry as he had often put Yeddyurappa and other leaders in a spot and embarrassed them by his statements to the media.

Renukacharya and Karandlaje have not been on good terms for a long time. The cold war between them dates back to 2009 when a group of BJP legislators rebelled against the then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and camped at a resort in Hyderabad, seeking a change in leadership.

The rebel legislators had also sought the removal of “powerful” Karandlaje, who was then the minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Renukacharya was the most vociferous among those legislators who had sought her removal.

Karandlaje had subsequently resigned as minister on November 8, 2009.  A month later, Renukacharya was inducted into the Yeddyurappa cabinet.

Renukacharya confused

Aware of the reported opposition to his entry into the KJP, Renukacharya was in a state of confusion.

He proved unable  to provide exact details about his next political move during the press conference which was held at his farm house in Honnali.

To a query, he said he has no information on the reported plans of ministers Murugesh Nirani, Basavaraj Bommai, Umesh Katti and others to quit the BJP to join the KJP.

“National parties do not protect the interests of states,” he said. “The KJP, which reflects the regional aspirations, will fill that void. Moreover, there is every possibility of a third front coming to power at the Centre.”

He also expressed the idea that the KJP will play a decisive role in the forming of the government at the Centre after the general election in 2014.