Gowda, a Lok Sabha MP, will have to become a member of either legislative assembly or council within 6 months of assuming office as CM.
The dilemma has almost ended. Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda has been forced to opt for the legislative council as the BJP has shot down the proposal to direct a BJP MLA to step down and force one more by-election.
Gowda, a Lok Sabha MP, will have to become a member of either the legislative assembly or council within six months of assuming office as chief minister. A meeting of BJP top-brass, which met in Bangalore on Tuesday, decided to avoid a by-election and chose the council route for Gowda. Sources said BJP MLCs Lehar Singh and Bharati Shetty have expressed their readiness to make way for Gowda.
“With the BJP already facing criticism for forcing so many by-elections due to Operation Lotus, the leadership is averse to force one more by-election. Instead, the council route is simple as it will not entail high-pitch electioneering. It will also avoid wastage of huge funds on campaigning and conducting peaceful polling,” added sources.
Yeddyurappa’s yatra dumped
Meanwhile, BJP leaders are divided over former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa’s plans to take out a ‘rath yatra’ to disseminate information on several welfare programmes he launched for farmers, women, schoolchildren and weaker sections when he was the CM.
Yeddyurappa was not invited for BJP leaders’ meet convened on Tuesday to discuss ways to strengthen the party. The meeting discussed his plans, but deferred its decision as to whether to support it or not.
State president KS Eshwarappa, Gowda, BJP national general secretary Ananth Kumar and others were forced to defer the decision as most participants opposed Yeddyurappa’s yatra, sources said.
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