Ex-Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddyurappa reaches out to former party BJP after Narendra Modi's elevation
Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa today effusively praised Narendra Modi , in a clear olive branch to the BJP, which he quit in a huff to form his own party last year.
At a meeting of his Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) today, Mr Yeddyurappa reportedly shared that Mr Modi "can be a good administrator" and said he would contest the next general elections as a partner of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, but was clear he would not merge with his former party.
"I will have seat sharing with the BJP," said the man who had won the BJP its first government in south India six years ago. He quit the party last year and contested assembly elections on his own. Both Mr Yeddyurappa and the BJP were routed and the Congress is back in power in Karnataka.
After being named the BJP's presumptive Prime Minister last Friday, Mr Modi had hinted that "friends" like Mr Yeddyurappa should be brought back to the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. BJP president Rajnath Singh has reportedly supported the move to bring back the former CM, who is one of the tallest leaders of the powerful Lingayat community in Karnataka.
But sources say Mr Yeddyurappa is adamant that he will only return to the BJP if he is made the state party president.
The 70-year-old is a known loyalist of the Gujarat Chief Minister and had said months ago that he should be the prime ministerial candidate over party veteran LK Advani, who led a section in the BJP that insisted Mr Yeddyurappa resign as CM over charges of corruption in mining deals.