Bhaskar Achar
Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 6: The only hurdle for Jagadish Shettar to ascend the ambitious chief ministerial chair of Karnataka has been finally cleared, with BJP top brass Lal Krishna Advani, who was opposing the installation of new chief minister in Karnataka finaly giving the nod. Advani, who had earlier preferred fresh mandate to change in CM, has reportedly agreed to install Jagadish Shettar as the new chief minister in Karnataka.
With this, now all top leaders in Delhi have agreed to bring D V Sadananda Gowda down, and Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar is expected to be sworn in as chief minister of Karnataka on July 10.
On Thursday night, Gadkari had about an hour-long meeting with Advani, and reportedly convinced him on changing the leadership in Karnataka. Advani has asked leaders to unite in Karnataka and heal the damaged image of the party. Extensive damage control measures will be required in Karnataka to bring back voters in favour of BJP in the next state assembly election which is due in 2013 April.
Thereafter, Gadkari also obtained the approval of Sushma Swaraj, leader of opposition in New Delhi. Arun Jaitley has been instrumental in bringing a 'workable' solution in Karnataka. According to the new formula, D V Sadananda Gowda will be the state BJP chief, and K S Eshwarappa will be sworn in as deputy CM to Jagadish Shettar.
On Thursday evening, DVS supporter Jarkiholi also held detailed meeting with Gadkari and discussed the current political crisis in the state. Jarkiholi also agreed to the new formula, and assured his support to the new CM in order to bring BJP back to power in the next election. He has reportedly got an assurance that his key supporters would get cabinet berths in the Shettar ministry.
Gadkari has also assured all party members that this is not a 'victory' or 'defeat' to any faction, but an acceptable solution for the current crisis.
A Victory of 'Electoral Politics' :
Political pundits in the state are of the opinion that the morale of the state BJP is down, and that the current solution is only a 'victory of electoral politics'. Indirectly, it is a clear victory for B S Yeddyurappa who has been blackmailing the state government and the central BJP leadership ever since his fallout with D V Sadananda Gowda. Advani had clearly indicated that he wanted to keep Yeddyurappa away from BJP following allegations of corruption against him. But the strong backing of the Lingayat community in the state made sure the BJP high command could not dare to touch him.
Sadananda Gowda, a disciplined soldier of the BJP, has politely agreed to step down in the interest of his party, despite the fact that it was not his fault.
However, some political experts opine that if corruption was the reason for Yeddyurappa's ouster as CM, 'No-corruption' has been the reason for Sadananda Gowda's fall. Gowda neither indulged in corruption nor allowed any of his ministers to do so.
Sadananda Gowda will go down as one of the most upright, clean and polite CMs in Karnataka's history. But whatever patch-up the BJP may plan, the Vokkaligas in the state will in likelihood go against the BJP in the next election.