BENGALURU: Who will be the next Chief Minister of Karnataka? To answer this very question, the Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a legislature party meeting on Tuesday evening at a private hotel in Bengaluru.
As decided by the party's Parliamentary board, Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy have been sent to Karnataka as observers during the legislature party meeting. While the names of more than half a dozen party leaders are doing the rounds for the top post, the observers are expected to bring a name pre-approved from the party's central leadership. The exercise of the legislature choosing a leader will be a mere formality.
"BS Yediyurappa has tendered his resignation. His government over the last two years has worked very hard and successfully. He was an experienced administrator and under his guidance, the party will continue to succeed. Based on the inputs of the Parliamentary Board, we will accordingly decide at the Legislative Party meet today on the new CM. Yediyurappa's support will continue to be sought after by the party," said Arun Singh, National General Secretary in charge of Karnataka.
BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday said that the new Chief Minister will be a legislator thus reducing the possibility of BL Santhosh or Pralhad Joshi becoming BS Yediyurappa's successor. While state leaders were hoping to elect a new Chief Minister before the end of this week, the central leadership following inputs from the state unit of the party has decided to name a candidate at the earliest given the flood and pandemic situation in the state.