The move to bring former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa back into the BJP fold gathered momentum on Thursday with two senior functionaries of the party’s State unit demanding immediate decision on the matter.
Karnataka BJP chief Pralhad Joshi and former Deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa met party president Rajnath Singh here and outlined the urgency of BSY’s return to his parent party.
Sources claimed the two leaders argued that BJP could capitalize on the nationwide anti-Congress mood in Karnataka only when BSY was on its side.
“We want to win 22 seats in the lok Sabha seats of Karnataka. Only four months are left. So, we demanded that BSY be brought back. The President has assured us that he will discuss the matter with other central leaders,” Eshwarappa told reporters.
BSY’s Karnataka Janata Party had polled about 10 per cent votes in Assembly elections held this year, resulting into a crushing defeat of the BJP. Since then, BSY’s
emissaries have been in touch with BJP’s central leaders to explore possibilities of his return.
Sources, however, claim that party’s central leadership wants a decision to be taken through “consensus”.
Since the proposal continues to face strong opposition from a section of party, Rajnath is apparently not in favour of attracting the wrath of this section by bulldozing them.
Sources claimed Narendra Modi also wants BSY to be back in the BJP, but he has yet to come out in open with his support to the former Chief Minister.