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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislature Party in Karnataka today elected former party president and Lok Sabha member, Mr D.V. Sadananda Gowda, as its next chief minister.
A move which observers say has brought outgoing Chief Minister, Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa, more powers.
The selection process initiated by BJP central observers – Mr Arun Jaitley and Mr Rajnath Singh - was a secret ballot after the State leaders failed to evolve a consensus on the successor issue.
After the counting process was complete, the victor was named without giving the margin of victory. A move, according to a person who took part in the election process, was to keep the flock together.
After the balloting process was over, the BJP Legislature Party passed a resolution electing Mr Sadananda Gowda as the next Chief Minister. Mr Gowda's name was proposed by Mr Yeddyurappa and seconded by the State party President, Mr K.S. Eswarappa.
Mr Sadananda Gowda now has a daunting task of deciding the fate of Mr Yeddyurappa and the Reddy brothers from Bellary, who are all named in the Karnataka Lokayukta's report on illegal mining.
Also the new chief minister's cabinet is unlikely to be packed with Reddy brothers or their nominees.
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Mr Sadananda Gowda, a 58-year-old Vokkaliga leader, hails from Puttur in Dakshina Kannda district. He is the sitting Lok Sabha member representing Udupi-Chikmagalur. An affable and non-controversial figure, he has also served as deputy opposition leader in the Assembly.
Yeddyurappa factor
The election of Mr Sadananda Gowda, who is not a member of either House of the Legislature, has clearly demonstrated the hold Mr Yeddyurappa has over legislators and his command over the party in Karnataka.
Mr Yeddyurappa's opponents in the party led by the National General Secretary, Mr H.N. Ananth Kumar, and the State unit party President, Mr K.S. Eswarappa, had opposed Mr Gowda's nomination on the ground that Mr Yeddyurappa was trying to rule by proxy.
The anti-Yeddyurappa camp proposed the name of Mr Jagadish Shettar, who has been a contender for the chief minister's post for a long time.
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