Kongunadu Jananayka Katchi (KJK), a regional political party, today merged with the BJP. At a function here, senior functionaries announced that they were joining the BJP.

The foundation for the merger was laid after KJK founder-convenor,G K Nagaraj met BJP national president Amit Shah in New Delhi last month and was formalised here in front of the senior BJP functionaries, including party state general secretary Vanati Srinivasan who formally gave Nagaraj a party identity card.

Nagaraj later told mediapersons that the BJP was striving hard to lead the country on the growth path and make it free of corruption after Atal Bihar Vajapayee became the Prime Minister at the end of the last century.

Nagaraj, who had business in Gujarat in 1989, said he was attracted to the way the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda and took the State to be among the top in the country. The BJP was fighting for the integrity and sovereignty of the country and he said he supported its ideology to put to end the terrorism from the world.

The KJK had fought the last Assembly elections in alliance with the BJP.Senior party functionaries and cadre would hold a public meeting soon and would be attended by BJP leaders, Nagaraj said.