Efforts to bring BS Yeddyurappa back to BJP gains pace

Bangalore: The move to bring back former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa into BJP is gathering pace with a section of the party strongly pushing for it on the ground that it would boost their prospects in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Several BJP leaders, led by former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda, on Thursday met state unit president Prahalad Joshi to discuss the issue. Former ministers Aravind Limbavali, Umesh Katti and Basavaraj Bommai have presented their views to Mr Joshi regarding this, party sources said.

In the May Assembly polls, Yeddyurappa secured 10 per cent vote share that ensured decimation of the ruling BJP, though it took the former party strongman nowhere.

"A section of state BJP leaders have presented their views on the matter and I am going to convey it to BJP President Rajnath Singh and party central leadership through Thawar Chand Gehlot (party in-charge of Karnataka). The next course of action will depend on the central leadership's decision," Mr Joshi told reporters in Bangalore.

Mr Joshi said the party's Core Committee on June 29 would take a decision on the return of Mr Yeddyurappa to BJP.