Jagadish Shettar to be sworn in as Karnataka's CM today

BJP leader and loyalist to former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Jagadish Shettar who recently has resigned from Rural Development ministry is likely to be sworn as Karnataka's new Chief Minister today.

Jagadish will be the third BJP leader in four year, who will take oath for CM post. He will succeed D V Sadanand Gowda who resigned from his post on Wednesday due to mounting pressure from the party high command. Gowda served state just eleven months as Karnataka's CM.

The selection of Shettar as Karnataka's next chief minister can be viewed as a major victory for state BJP strongman Yeddyurappa, who has not been allowed to reclaim the chief minister's chair, as he continues to battle illegal mining charges leveled against him by the Karnataka Lokayukta.

The BJP, which is trying hard to balance caste and community aspirations as it prepares for Assembly elections less than 10 months away, may pacify Gowda by making him the state president of the party.

Ahead of submitting his resignation, Gowda yesterday expressed hope that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) High Command will take into consideration all his demands.

"All of you have given trust in me, I have confidence that all the demands made will be favourably considered by the high command and I want all of you should support," he said.

The crisis in the Karnataka BJP intensified last week after nine ministers resigned from the State Cabinet, thereby projecting a show of strength in their campaign for ousting Gowda.

The ministers, who quit earlier were Jagadish Shettar (Rural Development), CM Udasi (PWD), Murugesh Nirani (Industries), V Somanna (Housing), Umesh Katti (Agriculture), Basavaraj Bommai (Water Resources), Revu Naik Belamagi (Libraries and Animal Husbandry), M P Renukacharya (Excise) and Raju Gowda (Small Scale Industries).

The ministers, however, withdrew their resignations later following a decision of BJP leadership that there would be a change in chief ministership in the state.

--With ANI Inputs--