Yeddyurappa's return: Onus now on BJP top brass

The core committee meeting of the BJP state unit to be held in Bangalore is likely to give the onus of taking back B S Yeddyurappa into the party on the national leadership.
Yeddyurappa's return: Onus now on BJP top brass

The core committee meeting of the BJP state unit to be held in Bangalore on Saturday is likely to give the onus of taking back former CM and Karnataka Janata Party president B S Yeddyurappa into the party on the national leadership.

Party in-charge of Karnataka Thawar Chand Gehlot will be attending the meeting at the party office, called ostensibly to discuss the party’s strategy in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. A couple of senior BJP leaders on condition of anonymity told Express: “The state unit does not want to take any decision as national leaders had asked Yeddyurappa to step down as the CM following corruption charges against him. It is better for them (national leaders) to take a call,” a leader said. He admitted that a section of state leaders are pressurising the party to take back BSY.

Another leader said: “Whatever transpires at Saturday’s meeting will be apprised to the national leaders. Mostly, a one line resolution may be adopted authorising the party high command to take a decision.”

However, both the leaders said when they meet the national leaders personally in Delhi, they would brief them about implications of Yeddyurappa’s second innings in the BJP. “Our one point agenda is — take Yeddyurappa into the BJP once he comes clean of all the charges. Till then, don’t take any decision,” one of the leaders added.

In another development, two leaders who were part of the group that met state BJP president Prahlad Joshi in Bangalore on Thursday dropped a bombshell stating that a meeting of BJP Legislature should be convened to elicit the opinion of the legislators in this regard. “Since it is a serious matter, it should not be discussed in the core committee meeting. All district BJP presidents and others should be consulted before arriving at any decision,” one of them said.

The BJP leadership on Friday is said to have decided that Yeddyurappa must approach party  national president Rajnath Singh to get readmitted to the party.

Strengthen KJP

Not perturbed by the BJP’s indecision on readmitting him, Yeddyurappa said his first priority was to strengthen the KJP. “There is no question of joining the BJP. My focus is to strengthen the party ahead of Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

He, however, said that the KJP will decide on seat sharing with any party at the time of elections. “We are ready for seat adjustment with any party in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. If needed, I am ready to even hold talks with JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda,” he said.

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