Ranjath to decide on Yeddyurappa's return: Karnataka BJP chief

Karnataka BJP President Prahlad Joshi today said the ball is in party national President Rajnath Singh's court in the matter of deciding on return of former Chief Minister Yeddyurappa back into the party fold.

"Ball is in the court of Rajnath Singhji, our national President; state party has given its opinion - it has firmly urged the central party to avoid split in anti-Congress votes, we should unitedly go," he told reporters here in response to a question about Yeddyurappa's return to BJP.

He said, "Our opinion has been conveyed to the All India President. He (Rajnath Singh) has said after consulting all national leaders he will direct us in what way we should progress in this matter. We are waiting for his directions."

Stating that national leadership has agreed to welcome Yeddyurappa, senior state BJP leader Suresh Kumar said, "Our President Rajnath Singh will give the green signal on the correct date."

Asked whether Yeddyurappa's return was imminent, he said, "I think it has been made clear number of times by our state President."

Earlier, BJP state General Secretary C T Ravi said the party aims to win twenty plus seats (out of 28) in the 2014 Parliamentary elections in the state.

BJP's Priministerial candidate Narendra Modi would be touring different parts of the state during January and February, he said, adding he was expected to visit Gulbarga, Hubli, Mysore, Belgaum, Dakshina Kannada/Udupi, Shimoga/Davangere.

"We have requested him to visit minimum eight places.