Decision on BSY’s return to BJP may stretch further

Several BJP leaders from the state on Wednesday confided they have not yet got the green signal for his return,despite Yeddyurappa withdrawing the “informal” conditions he had set. Reservations about his return are reported to be mainly from BJP veteran L K Advani and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.

This is said to be holding up Yeddyurappa’s return despite BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s support to the move.

“Though Yeddyurappa never made a formal demand for his return,the former chief minister has now withdrawn even his informal conditions to the party leadership. But the central leadership has not yet given the green signal,” said a senior Karnataka BJP leader.

BJP sources said that Rajnath Singh wants to take Advani and Swaraj on board before giving the green signal. Sources said Yeddyurappa’s rivals within the party in Karnataka are leveraging AAP’s performance in Delhi to put the spanner in his return. “AAP’s unexpected success has underlined the importance of probity for electoral success across the country,” said a senior BJP leader,who is against Yeddyurappa’s return,apparently referring to the corruption allegations against the former CM,which forced him to leave the BJP to float his own party.

A state unit functionary,however,undelined the importance of his return and said,“Karnataka is critical for BJP’s overall performance in Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Yeddyurappa’s return,consequently,holds the key to party’s prospects in the state. Without him,it will be an uphill task to maintain the 2009 performance in next elections.”

BJP had won 19 of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in 2009 when Yeddyurappa was chief minister. The meeting on Friday is expected to discuss BJP’s Lok Sabha preparations in the state and the demand for Yeddyurappa’s return is likely to get a fresh momentum.