Central leadership today indicated that choosing a new Chief Minister is being done through a political process which may happen by consensus or secret voting.
With the stalemate in Karnataka BJP over BS Yeddyurappa's successor continuing, the party's central leadership today indicated that choosing a new Chief Minister is being done through a political process which may happen by consensus or secret voting.
Asked why BJP had failed to choose a successor to Yeddyurappa, senior party leader Arun Jaitley said "it is a political process. The outgoing chief minister has resigned. Rajnath Singh and I have finished our talks with our MLAs and MPs."
"A decision through consensus or a secret voting can be taken. Both are legitimate electoral methods," he said.
Asked about former BJP state unit chief DV Sadananda Gowda, who is Yeddyurappa's choice for the Chief Minister's post, Jaitley said "every leader has a right to name his successor."
However, Sadananda Gowda not acceptable to the rival side led by senior leader HN Ananth Kumar and state unit chief KS Eshwarappa.
The anti-Yeddyurappa camp is plumping for Jagadish Shettar, also a former state unit President who comes from dominant Lingayat community to which Yeddyurappa also belongs to. He is not acceptable to Yeddyurappa.
Party sources said BJP central leadership is aware of the hold Yeddyurappa enjoys over the party MLAs and the Lingayat community in Karnataka.
The leadership is worried that antagonising him may split the party vertically as he has the support of around 65 of the 121 BJP MLAs.
"Gowda is one of the most amiable leaders in the whole of Karnataka. He is also Yeddyurappa's choice," a senior leader said, indicating Gowda's candidature for the post has not been rejected yet.
Jaitley said he and Singh had individually met 118 of the 121 BJP MLAs from the state. The remaining three are travelling abroad.
A meeting of the BJP legislature party is scheduled for Wednesday morning to finalise the name.
Jaitley indicated an attempt would be made to arrive at a consensus, failing which a secret ballot may be held.
However, a consensus on Gowda has not emerged as the Ananth Kumar faction within the BJP is opposed to his name. He may still be the front-runner, say sources.
V S Acharya, Higher Education minister and a Brahmin, is also being seen as a compromise candidate for the Chief Minister's post.
Shettar, Rural Development Minister in his cabinet, is said to be the choice of those opposed to the outgoing CM.
"I am a contender (for the Chief Minister's post)", Shettar told reporters here today. "BJP MLAs have expressed a wish that I should become Chief Minister", an indication that the BJP high command has a tough task on hand.
The party may go for a Deputy Chief Minister in the state and allocate portfolios in a manner where all groups within the party are represented.
The names of Home Minister R Ashok, Eshwarappa and Law and Justice Minister Suresh Kumar S are also doing the rounds for the top post.
However, Eshwarappa has ruled himself out of the race, saying he had been made the state unit president for three years to strengthen the party and he would complete that term, raising questions about the possibility of Yeddyurappa being given his post.
The BJP central leadership has already clarified to Yeddyurappa that his demand for state unit presidentship was not acceptable.
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