Karnataka: Yeddyurappa then, Yeddyurappa now, does state BJP have a choice?

Bengaluru: With the BJP president Amit Shah convening a late night core committee meet at the party headquarters in New Delhi to pick the man who will lead the party in the 2018 Assembly polls, there's just one name and one front-runner – former chief minister and Lingayat strongmen B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Sources close to the developments said the biggest hurdle that the former chief minister faces comes from a majority of core committee leaders who are opposed to him returning to any position of authority in the state, citing corruption cases against him. However, Mr Yeddyurappa continues to be backed by the party karyakarthas and workers who say his name has been cleared in all but one case.

With the majority of the party MLAs and former MLAs pushing for BSY to lead the 2018 elections, the party central leadership decided to elicit the opinion of party core committee leaders before electing the state party chief. In the event that Yeddyurappa loses out, many senior and second rung leaders are hoping the baton passes to them. However he is the only one in the state BJP who has the ability to consolidate the Lingayat vote in the BJP's favour.

BSY's biggest threat comes from Union Minister for Fertilisers and Chemicals Ananth Kumar who could scuttle his chances to become state BJP chief. If they are unable to resolve the issue, sources said Mr. Shah would turn to the Sangh Parivar.

What works in BSY’s favour
The clean chit from land related corruption charges He is the only mass leader in the party, who can bring in the Lingayat vote.

What doesn't
He is yet to be cleared from CBI charges in denotification of lands charges. If BJP declares him as the party President, there is every possibility, the Congress will use the corruption case against the BJP There are fears that if he does get the post, his coterie will call the shots as they did before.