BJP gives Ugadi gift to Yeddyurappa, names him K'taka party president

BENGALURU: Senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa , who had been jailed for 21 days over corruption charges in 2011, has taken over as new president of Karnataka state unit of BJP.The party made this announcement on Friday to coincide with Ugadi festival.It is fourth time Yeddyurappa is taking over the party's mantle.Yeddyurappa had quit the BJP in 2012 after the party forced him to resign as chief minister over corruption charges and floated a new party. He had been later jailed for two weeks over corruption charges.He rejoined the party in 2013 after Narendra Modi took charge of the BJP's campaign for the general election and he was appointed vice-president of National BJP. But Yeddyurappa had no inclination towards national politics and had been desperately vying to make a comeback in the state politics.He will take over from Prahalad Joshi, whose term ended in October but was extended as the BJP was struggling to find an alternate leader.Yeddyurappa's name was considered after Karnataka high court quashed proceedings in the cases relating to 15 FIRs filed against him by the Lokayukta. The Supreme Court later upheld the high court's decision.In 2011, Yeddyurappa's name also figured in the former Lokayukta, Justice Santosh Hegde report which exposed a Rs 16,085 crore iron ore mining scam.