New Delhi, 25 Jan

Former Karnataka chief minister Jagdish Shettar, who had quit the BJP to join the Congress ahead of the State Assembly polls last year, rejoined his old party on Thursday.

Shettar cited his long association with the BJP, and said many of his well-wishers wanted him to join back the party.

The Lingayat leader joined the party in the presence of former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra and its media head Anil Baluni.

Party sources said Shettar had met Home Minister Amit Shah and its national president JP Nadda as he was persuaded to rejoin the saffron organisation which he had quit in a huff after being denied a ticket to contest the Assembly polls.

He had then joined the Congress but lost the polls. The Congress has, however, made him a MLC, a position he has now quit to join the BJP.

Shettar also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, saying India has been strengthened under him.