BANGALORE: Udupi Chikmagalur MP Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda was appointed 26th Chief Minister of the state.
With this, Gowda (59) has made history by becoming a Chief Minister after being elected by his legislators in a fiercely fought secret ballot.
The victory of Gowda has also proved beyond doubt that it is outgoing Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and not the BJP high command, who holds the key as far as the state BJP is concerned. Yeddyurappa had backed Gowda in the battle of wits against BJP national general secretary H N Ananthkumar for supremacy in the state.
Gowda will take oath at 4.30 pm on Thursday. Immediately after being elected as legislature party leader, Gowda called on Governor H R Bhardwaj and staked his claimed to form the next government, following which the latter appointed him as the Chief Minister. Along with Gowda, a few ministers are also likely to take oath.
However, the problems of the factionridden state BJP seems to be far from over as the Kumar camp, minutes after losing the numbers game, was huddled in a hotel and raised a banner of revolt. According to sources, they are planning to boycott the oathtaking ceremony.
The Yeddyurappa camp termed it a ploy to bargain for Cabinet berths.
Earlier in the day, after efforts to evolve a consensus candidate failed, party leaders were forced to hold a secret ballot.
While the Yeddyurappa camp demanded a head count fearing cross voting, the Kumar camp insisted on a secret ballot, accusing the former of forcibly holding MLAs with him.
Though he reluctantly agreed to this, the outgoing Chief Minister had the last laugh as Gowda was elected in the secret ballot held in the presence of BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan.
However, party leaders chose not to reveal the number of votes polled fearing it might lead to a witchhunt in future and also with an intention to project Gowda's selection as "unanimous".
Sources said Gowda polled 63 votes, while RDPR Minister Jagadish Shettar got 55. Khanapur MLA Prahlad Remani and Speaker K G Bopaiah did not vote. Remani was admitted to hospital with chest pain. After voting, BSY proposed Gowda's name for the CM's post and state BJP chief K S Eshwarappa and Shettar seconded it.