Gowda quits, Shettar to step in

Capping his 11-month wobbly tenure, D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday resigned as Karnataka Chief Minister paving the way for Jagadish Shettar to take over the mantle from him. But, this was not before dramatic scenes were witnessed with his supporters trying to physically prevent him from stepping down.

Shettar (56), a Lingayat leader backed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, will be sworn in as the new chief minister by Governor H R Bhardwaj at the Raj Bhawan here tomorrow in the third change of guard in the BJP-ruled state in four years. A day after Shettar was formally elected leader of the BJP Legislature Party after an ugly show of factionalism marked by deep caste polarisation, Gowda drove to Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to the governor.

Shettar, who will have more or less the same tenure as his predecessor with Assembly elections due in May next year, staked his claim to form the government which was accepted by the governor who appointed him as chief minister. Gowda’s resignation was, however, not without an element of drama as his vociferous supporters tried in vain to physically prevent him at his residence from proceeding to the Raj Bhavan where also they enacted a similar scene.

Police used force to evict them. BJP is counting heavily on the Lingayat community as its main vote base for the Assembly polls. Intense lobbying is on by several ministers to retain their position, and aspirants seeking berths as senior party leaders Rajnath Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan, in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, took stock of the situation.

Governor invites Shettar
The first-ever BJP government in the South has witnessed uncertainty in the last 11 months with party strongman in the state Yeddyurappa not letting Gowda, his choice then, to settle down. Piling on the pressure, Yeddyurappa finally had his way with the BJP central leadership yielding to his demand to replace Gowda with Shettar. Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Wednesday appointed Jagadish Shettar as Chief Minister and invited him to form the government. Bhardwaj accepted the resignation of D V Sadananda Gowda as Chief Minister, a Raj Bhavan communique said.

“In exercise of the powers conferred under Article 164(1) of the Constitution of India, the Governor has accepted the resignation of the Council of Ministers of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda with immediate effect and appointed Shettar as Chief Minister and invited him to form the government,” the communique said.

Gowda shall continue to function as Chief Minister along with his Council of Ministers till alternative arrangements are made, the communique said. Earlier, BJP state president K S Eshwarappa had informed the Governor that the BJP Legislature Party elected Shettar as their leader and requested Bhardwaj to invite him to form the government, it added.