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Kalyanaraman
Swamy's Janata Party to merge with BJP
Shedding inhibitions of a section of its members, the BJP on Sunday agreed to merge the Janata Party into itself. The decision was formalised Sunday evening after a meeting between BJP president Rajnath Singh and Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy which was attended by the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and former party president Nitin Gadkari at Singh's residence in the capital.
The decision comes weeks after Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy expressed willingness to merge his party with the BJP. A strong section of the party was opposed to Swamy's induction given the party's experience with Ram Jethmalani, who embarrassed the party several times while being a member. The matter culminated into his expulsion recently.
"We have seen how Ram Jethmalani ridiculed and painted BJP in poor light. There is no guarantee Swamy will not do so," a senior party leader said. But, the objections were overwhelmed by the RSS support for the move.
"The RSS has been supportive of the idea. Advani is also supporting. In fact, Advani got him inducted to the NDA. After Swamy reached out to Narendra Modi, there was no stopping the induction," a leader said.
After the merger, party leaders expect Swamy to maintain decorum in his personalised attacks on political adversaries, particularly the Gandhi family, and tone down his vitriolic.
Those supportive of the merger see him as an asset when elections are only a few months away.
"He will be an asset for the party. Particularly when elections are only few months away. He will be a deterrent against Congress, which is in the habit of attacking Modi personally. They should now be ready to get it back in their language," a party MP said.
Subramanian Swamy's Janata Party merges with BJP
PTI New Delhi, August 11, 2013Subramanian Swamy on Sunday announced the merger of his Janata Party with BJP ahead of the 2014 general elections.
The announcement was made by Swamy in the presence of BJP president Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari.
Ahead of the merger, Swamy held discussions with senior BJP leaders at Rajnath Singh's residence, who accepted the merger of his party in BJP and hoped it will make BJP stronger.
"Dr Subramanian Swamy is national president of Janata Party and he has decided that the Janata Party and BJP should merge. Today, I accept the merger of Janata Party with BJP. I am confident that with Swamy's joining the BJP and the merger of his party will benefit the BJP...I welcome Dr Swamy in BJP," Singh said after Swamy's decision.
Singh said Swamy has been a leader of the Jana Sangh earlier and has accepted that it is the need of the hour in national interest to work together and unite.
After the merger, Swamy said, "I am very pleased that the President of BJP and the leaders of BJP have welcomed me into BJP as a part of the merger process."
He said the country is passing through "very difficult times" and "This is the time for unity, for national and nationalist purpose...I hope to work together and work for the Bharatiya Janata Party along with my colleagues to see that a new future for India can be built in the coming months."
Swamy has served as member of the Planning Commission and a former Cabinet minister at the Centre and has been a five-time MP.
Swamy is an ardent proponent of Hindutva philosophy outside the Sangh Parivar and has been active in exposing the 2G Spectrum scam. He recently questioned the Jet-Etihad deal.