Jagadish Shettar to be new Karnataka Chief Minister

The BJP's central leadership on Tuesday conveyed to leaders from Karnataka that chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda would, in all likelihood, be replaced with Jagadish Shettar. The Lingayat minister is former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa's choice.

“A decision from the high command is likely to be conveyed within a week. We have left everything to the party leadership now. Their decision will be acceptable to us," Shettar, who holds the Rural Development portfolio, said.

Sources said BJP President Nitin Gadkari has come around to the view that Shettar, a Yeddyurappa loyalist, should be the next chief minister.


The decision will have to be ratified by the BJP Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party, but most members are in agreement on the issue in view of the damage caused by constant threats from dissidents in the last four years.


Moreover, Advani is not inclined to have another nominee of Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister. Corruption charges against Yeddyurappa had dented the impact of Advani's yatra against graft and black money.


Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and party general secretary Ananth Kumar are also not in agreement with making a Yeddyurappa loyalist the Chief Minister but they may not press the matter further.