BJP would admit leaders from other parties as per rules:Laxman

The BJP in Telangana would admit leaders from other parties only as per relevant rules, state party president K Laxman said Monday.

"(Leaders) joining would be as per rules... Such admissions (of leaders from other parties) would continue as per the provisions of Constitution," he told reporters here.

He was replying to queries whether BJP insisted on resignations, for leaders from other parties to join the party.

He was asked the questions in the context of Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy hinting that he might join the BJP.

Twelve of the 18 Congress MLAs had already merged with the ruling TRS.

Asked if he had information about reports that Rajagopal Reddy was in Delhi to meet party's national leaders, he said everything would be known soon and that many leaders, not just Rajagopal Reddy, were willing to join BJP.

BJP is a party that adheres to principles and it admits leaders from other parties only after they resign (if resignation is required) or as per rules if their resignation was not required, Laxman said.

Asked about his reported comments that Congress MLAs "got sold " (as they switched over to TRS) and that Rajagopal Reddy now hinted at joining BJP, Laxman said he did not say that all Congress leaders got sold.

"We will tell you when Rajagopal Reddy joins. Why are you in a hurry?," he said.

About the scheduled inauguration of the Kaleswaram project on June 21, he said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is striving for getting the project to be declared as a national one, would have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he was sincere in his endeavour.

The BJP leader demanded that the TRS government release a 'whitepaper' on the project to let people know the facts about its cost and other details.