Going back on his earlier decision, B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday said he would campaign for the BJP in the Bellary Rural constituency elections. The U-turn comes after party leaders are learnt to have told the former Karnataka chief minister, during an election strategy meeting on Thursday, that he was crucial for the party’s prospects in the November 30 polls.

“I will visit Vaishno Devi on November 20. After my return, I will camp in Bellary for three days and campaign for the BJP candidate. I will highlight the development that has been achieved in Bellary during my tenure as chief minister,’’ Yeddyurappa said after the meeting attended by state leaders of the ruling BJP.

The former CM, who was in jail between October 15 and November 8 following his arrest in two separate corruption cases, had earlier this week said he would not campaign for the BJP in the Bellary polls. The announcement was seen as an attempt on his part to regain primacy in the party.

“At the meeting, all leaders, including Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda and state president K S Eshwarappa, said that Yeddyurappa must campaign for the party. Earlier, an impression was created that he was not wanted due to his arrest for corruption. That doubt has been cleared,’’ sources, who were at the meeting, said.

The decision to campaign by Yeddyurappa, one of the foremost Lingayat leaders in the state, is expected to tilt the crucial caste equation in Bellary in favour of the BJP’s Gadi Lingappa in a three-corner fight with rebel BJP candidate B Seeramulu and Congress candidate B Ramaprasad. The scheduled tribe reserved constituency has a 14 per cent Lingayat population in the two lakh electorate.