Mecca Masjid blast case judge keen to join BJP

: Former Judge K Ravinder Reddy, who quit hours after delivering the verdict in the Mecca Masjid blast case, has expressed keenness to join the BJP, describing it as a 'patriotic party' and the one which does not have 'family rule'.

Banners welcoming him into the party were put up at the BJPs Telangana State headquarters.

He was supposed to join party on Thursday but did not do so.

Reddy, the then Judge of the Special anti-terror court, had on April 16 this year acquitted Hindutva preacher Aseemanand and four others in the case.

A powerful blast, triggered by remote control, had ripped through the over four centuries-old mosque here during an assembly of devotees on May 18, 2007, when they had gathered for Friday prayers, killing nine people and injuring 58.

Reddy, meanwhile, told reporters he was asked to keep his programme of joining the BJP on hold, but that no reason was cited.

"Former Union Minister and Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya felicitated me and invited me to join the party.

I also expressed my interest to join as I believe it is a party which has national interest.

It is the only national level patriotic party and does not have any family-rule", he said.

Reddy said he had met BJP President Amit Shah when he was in the city recently.

"Along with me, all my well-wishers, family friends and advocates came here (party office) to witness my joining the party.But I received a message asking me to keep the programme on hold without any reason being assigned," Reddy said.

Asked about the issue of former judge's joining the party, Dattatreya told reporters here Friday it was just a 'communication gap'.

"As per the Sampark (contact) and Sahyog (cooperation) programme, I met many prominent people. Retired judge Ravinder Reddy was one among them. He expressed his opinion on all the subjects we discussed.

There was a communication gap. There is no other problem (in him joining the party)," he said when asked why the former judicial officer had not joined the party.

Meanwhile, MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in his twitter account, said "Yes Retired Judge saheb we knew where you were heading & certainly you will be rewarded by Supreme Leader & Assemanand & Co will campaign for you. I hope you loose your deposit."