Budget for DVS, gaddi for BSY?

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Beleaguered former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa may look as if he returned empty-handed from New Delhi, grimly reiterating his stand that he would not campaign in the crucial Udupi-Chikmagalur March 18 bypoll, while also saying that the chief minister will present the budget, not him.

But, sources close to the two day long negotiations between the former chief minister and the BJP top brass now indicate that BSY may be home free. And that Trinamul Congress supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s undermining of the UPA government, which raised the prospect of mid-term elections, has swung party opinion in favour of the Karnataka strongman’s reinstatement as chief minister.

Discussions on Thursday focussed on the fact that if mid-term polls are held, Mr Yeddyurappa would be central to the BJP’s campaign to retain the party’s hold over Karnataka, given his influence over the powerful Lingayat community.

Sources said party president Nitin Gadkari, and BJP patriarch L.K. Advani — who skipped the meeting — have been persuaded to bring in BSY after the budget is presented by Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

“Mr Venkaiah Naidu, Ms Sushma Swaraj and Mr Arun Jaitley agree that Sadananda Gowda must not be touched till he presents the budget. After that, Mr Yeddyurappa will be brought back,” the high level source said.