BJP goes all out to woo Kalyan, BSY

BJP is making a last-ditch effort to placate new rebel former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa (BSY) and readying to open its doors to old dissident and former UP CM, Kalyan Singh, who parted ways with the party twice in the past.

BJP is making a last-ditch effort to placate new rebel former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa (BSY) and readying to open its doors to old dissident and former UP CM, Kalyan Singh, who parted ways with the party twice in the past.

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BSY has set his price: re-instate him as CM or appoint him as Karnataka BJP chief and declare him as CM candidate for the 2013 state polls.

On the other hand, Kalyan Singh wants to "come home" to salvage the political future of his son, Rajbir, as his party was mauled in the UP polls in 2011. His re-entry is likely to take place in November first week.

However, it is BSY, who is proving a hard nut to crack. As he is "firm" on forming his own party in December, BJP central leaders forced reluctant Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar and deputy CM R Ashok to meet him on Monday and requested him to change his mind.

"I clearly told them (Shettar and Ashok) it is too late now. I also informed them that too much had happened and I will be launching my new party in December as promised to my followers earlier," said BSY.

Both Shettar and Ashok and BSY's close aides are to meet the central BJP leaders here on Tuesday on what could be done to soften the ex-CM, who is credited for the first saffron government in the south in 2008.

Up in north, the move to bring Kalyan Singh back in BJP gained momentum after the state party leaders agreed that his return will strengthen the party's base in Agra-Aligarh belt. Singh is a Lodh by caste and enjoys support among backward classes in UP.

On his part, Singh said he had positive talks with the BJP brass including one-time rival and former party chief Rajnath Singh.

The deal with Singh is that the BJP will offer an easily winnable seat to his son Rajbir Singh in the next Lok Sabha elections.

"He belongs to Lodh community which has a presence across the state. This, plus his commitment to Hindutva could help revive the BJP in the state," said a senior BJP leader. Kalyan was CM when the Babri Masjid was demolished in December 1992.