I’m hopeful of Yeddyurappa’s return to BJP, says Ravi

Higher Education Minister C.T. Ravi has said that he is hopeful of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa returning to the BJP.

He was speaking to journalists before taking part in the 840th Guru Siddarameshwara Jayanti celebrations on Tuesday.

Mr. Ravi said that in the past many leaders who had quit the party, including the former Chief Minister of of Madhya Pradesh Uma Bharati, had returned to the BJP.

“On earlier occasions, Mr. Yeddyurappa had said there is no future for regional parties in Karnataka. He is right, and he will realise this soon. I am hopeful that he will return to the BJP,” he said.

Shettar’s leadership

The BJP in Karnataka would face the Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and return to power.

Similarly, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi would take party’s leadership at the national level. The party would come to power at the Centre as well, he said. To a question on Mr. Yeddyurappa’s reported statement that he would emerge as Narendra Modi of Karnataka, Mr. Ravi said the country could achieve growth if all leaders followed Mr. Modi’s development model.

To a question, Mr. Ravi said there was no need for taking disciplinary action against leaders who had identified themselves with the Karnataka Janata Paksha, led by Mr. Yeddyurappa. “It is a part of our political strategy not to take action against them,” he said.