Bangalore: Karnataka Janata Paksha chief BS Yeddyurappa today installed his close associate and former minister Shobha Karandlaje as working president of the party.

Ms Karandlaje, who had served as Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister and later as Energy Minister in the Yeddyurappa government, had quit the BJP last December.

KJP won only six seats in the elections to the 224-member Assembly but secured nearly ten per cent of the vote-share, denting the prospects of the BJP.

The former chief minister today again ruled out KJP merging with any other party and said it’s open for seat-sharing arrangement for the Lok Sabha elections.

He said, “We are not untouchable, we are ready for seat sharing with any party including the Congress depending on the situation prevailing at that time. There is no question of merging KJP with any other party nor am I joining any other political party.”

Mr Yeddyurappa said his party would contest in around ten Lok Sabha seats out of total 28 in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, Mr Yeddyurappa also appointed former PWD Minister CM Udasi as the party’s senior vice president, as a new list of office-bearers of the party was announced.