Bengaluru: A power struggle among central leaders of BJP could delay the reinduction of KJP leader B. S. Yeddyurappa.
Though the issue gained momentum after state unit leaders met party president Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Thursday, Mr Singh seems reluctant to take a decision immediately and would rather wait till next year's Lok Sabha elections.
Reason: Mr Yeddyurappa's return would help prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi while Singh himself would like to emerge as the consensus candidate for the top post after the general elections.
"There is every possibility of BJP-led NDA alliance falling short of the 200 mark in Lok Sabha elections under Mr Modi's leadership.
Under such circumstances, chances of Mr Modi becoming the Prime Minister may be difficult and regional parties which supported the Congress may not support Mr Modi for the post.
Keeping in view the post-poll scenario, Mr Rajnath Singh, one of the strong contenders for PM's post, seems reluctant to antagonize party patriarch L.K. Advani and other senior leaders who are opposed to Mr Yeddyurappa's return to the party," sources in the state unit of BJP told Deccan Chronicle.
A former Chief Minister, who took the initiative to get Mr Yeddyurappa back in BJP, concurred and admitted that though party workers and state unit leaders were keen on the Lingayat strongman's reinduction, central leaders were reluctant because of personal ambitions.
Sources close to the former CM told this newspaper that it was a positive move by the state BJP to approach the central leadership on Yeddyurappa's reinduction. The fact that Ananth Kumar has taken the initiative gives credence to the move, sources added.
