Narendra Modi's man BS Yeddyurappa may be back

NEW DELHI: With BJP declaring Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as the party's PM candidate, moves to get former Karnataka CM B S Yeddyurappa back into the party fold have gathered pace.


BJP president Rajnath Singh is learnt to be looking into the matter and has handed the responsibility of dealing with the former CM to senior leader Arun Jaitley, party sources said. Yeddyurappa , who quit the BJP and formed Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) before the assembly elections last year, had announced months ago that he would support Modi for the PM post.

The former CM has sent the message that he has no conditions to return to BJP. However, Yeddyurappa, an ardent Modi supporter, has told the BJP leadership that he would come back only if there was consensus on the decision. In case there were reservations about re-inducting him into the party, Yeddyurappa said he would prefer a prepoll alliance with the BJP.

A section in the BJP has been opposed to having Yeddyurappa back on the ground that he is facing corruption charges.

"There should be no divide within BJP over his return to the party, he (BSY) feels, since he is unwilling to create any further problem within BJP which could work as an obstacle for Modi. And hence he has told them that going back to BJP will depend on the convenience of the BJP leadership," a close aide of Yeddyurappa told TOI.

Having fared poorly in the assembly polls, the KJP chief realizes that he can't take on the Congress, JD(S) and others in the state single-handedly .