Gowda Vs Shettar: Yeddy camp nears showdown with rivals

Bangalore: The fight between DV Sadananda Gowda and Jagdish Shettar to win the Karnataka chief minister’s position is about to face a major showdown. The BS Yeddyurappa camp and its opposition’s meet  on Wednesday at the BJP party legislature meeting will finally decide the successor of Yeddyurappa.

After quitting as chief minister following the political upheaval over the Lokayukta report indicting Yeddyurappa on illegal mining, he had publicly announced his choice of his successor as Gowda. Gowda is a former state unit party president. However, the rival camp, spearheaded by BJP National General Secretary HN Ananth Kumar, made it known they have decided on the candidature of Shettar. Home and Transport Minister R Ashoka informed the reporters that discussions with senior BJP leader HN Ananth Kumar has concluded that Shettar has the potential of taking up the chief minister’s position.

Speaking to reporters in the district headquarters town of Tumkur today, Yeddyurappa, who tendered his resignation on Sunday, said, “Central leaders (Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh) are coming (to Bangalore) tonight. I am confident that the next chief minister will be by consensus”. Yeddyurappa has also shown confidence in the national leaders saying that the leadership issue in Karnataka would be solved amicably and in a justified manner.

Jaitley also indicated that the new chief minister will be chosen through a “political process” which may either happen by consensus or secret voting.

Transport Minister R Ashoka  said  the selection process could throw up surprises. He said that the consensus process does not suggest that the name being projected as the next chief minister would in fact get elected. “When the selection happens through consensus, it could change; anybody can become leader”.

PTI