BJP's 'bad boy' Yeddyurappa returns in Karnataka as state chief; Punjab, UP get new faces

In a significant decision, Bhartiya Janata Party on Friday named former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa as the new president of the state BJP. Member of Lok Sabha, Yeddyurappa, who is currently heading the national vice-president of the BJP, replaced Pralhad V Joshi.

BS Yeddyurappa became a controversial figure after the 73-year-old was forced to resign from the CM’s post following his prosecution for corruption in a Lokayukta report. In 2011, a report by former Lokayukta, Justice Santosh Hegde, linked BS Yeddyurappa, his minister Janardhan Reddy and relatives to Rs 16,085 crore mining scam. This resulted in BS Yeddyurappa spending some time in prison. (Also read. Cabinet reshuffle to be done within this month: Siddaramaiah)

But last year, the Supreme Court declined to intervene and revoked a Karnataka high court order putting on hold his prosecution in cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act thus bringing back the leader to the political arena. In another development, BJP also named Keshav Prasad Maurya as the new party chief in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP also announced its new state chiefs for Punjab (Vijay Sampla), Telangana (Dr K Laxman) and Arunachal Pradesh (Tapir Gao).