Sources said senior BJP leader L.K. Advani, who had virtually admitted embarrassment on account of former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s arrest during his Janchetna Yatra, asked the 12 state MPs, who demanded BSY’s reinstatement, to meet the party chief.
Party sources said the BJP central leadership wants to keep Mr Yeddyurappa in good humour keeping in mind his Lingayat community and the December 22 Legislative Council bypoll. State chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda is contesting the bypoll as he needs to get elected from either House of the legislature within six months of the swearing-in as per the constitutional provisions. Lingayats is a dominant community in Karnataka.
Of the 17 MPs who signed the letter for Mr Yeddyurappa’s instatement also include Mr Yeddyurappa’s son B.Y. Raghvendra, Bellary MP and Reddy Brothers associate J. Shantha, Shivkumar C. Udasi, D.B. Chandre Gowda, G.M. Siddeshwara, S. Pakkirappa, Prabhakar Kore, K.B. Shanappa and Aayanur Manjunath.
On July 28, a reluctant Mr Yeddyurappa had relinquished his post.