Jagdish Shettar, who was officially pronounced the next Chief Minister of Karnataka after a high level meeting that went on for several hours, has called for all the divergent factions of the BJP to come together and work for the benefit of the party in the state.
Speaking to media following the conclusion of a critical party level meeting, Shettar said that no one had been nominated for the post of deputy Chief Minister as yet, adding that his first priority as Chief Minister would be to tackle the drought that has affected large parts of the state.
Shettar appealed for unity: PTI
The delay in the naming of deputy CM comes amid speculation that there will be two appointees to the position, in an effort to appease former CM Sadananda Gowda’s supporters within the party.
State BJP president KS Eshwarappa and home minister R Ashoka are likely to be the deputy CMs and could be sworn in along with Shettar on Thursday.
Although Gowda resigned on Sunday and vowed to continue working for the good of the party, there have been protests against his removal in Bangalore and other parts of the state. The former chief minister also failed to turn up for a meeting of party leaders who were discussing the crisis.
Gowda finally turned up at the meeting over six hours late, and it was later stated that he had seconded Shettar’s name for Chief Minister along with BS Yeddyurappa. Speculation is rife that he will be offered a high profile position in the state leadership to make up for the fact that he had to make way for Shettar.
He will formally present his resignation to the governor of Karnataka on Wednesday.
