Yeddyurappa gets Sadananda, Karnataka its Chief Minister

BJP MP DV Sadananda Gowda was elected as the 20th CM of Karnataka at the BJP legislature party meeting amid acrimony between the rival factions led by outgoing CM BS Yeddyurappa and BJP national general secretary Ananth Kumar. Gowda will be sworn in as CM at Raj Bhavan at 4.30pm on Thursday.

“I will strive to provide a development-oriented, pro-people administration. I will take everyone into confidence and continue the several welfare programmes launched by Yeddyurappa,” Gowda said.

Yeddyurappa-backed Gowda trounced rural development minister Jagadish Shettar who was supported by Ananth Kumar and state BJP president KS Eshwarappa by a margin of 62-55 votes.

Party’s state president KS Eshwarappa is miffed at the high command’s failure to reject Yeddurappa’s nominee and also the conduct of Gowda’s supporters at the legislature party meeting.

The legislature party meeting witnessed heated arguments, slogan shouting and even scuffles between the legislators of rival camps even as Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh announced the decision to select the new leader through a secret ballot.