BS Yeddyurappa vows he shall be back soon. But that's for later. Karnataka needs a Chief Minister immediately and the BJP is expected to decide today on who that person shall be. By vote. The two men said to be forerunners for the post: Mr Yeddyurappa's man Sadanand Gowda and Jagadish Shettar, who belongs to the rival camp of Ananth Kumar. Mr Yeddyurappa had quit as Karnataka Chief Minister reluctantly on Sunday, days after the Santosh Hegde report on illegal mining severely indicted him and his family. His resignation was accompanied by the usual political drama - clinging to the chair till he could, then picking a propitious time to resign and finally, a massive show of strength as he walked to the Raj Bhawan flanked by 70 MLAs. In all that, Mr Yeddyurappa also made clear that while he was acceding to party wishes that he quit, only a person of his choice should be his successor.
But three days later, as the BJP heads into a meeting on Wednesday to pick the new CM, there is clearly a battle ahead. The two rival BJP groups are huddled in two different luxury hotels of Bangalore and each insists that their man will be the next CM. Mr Yeddyurappa's group claims to have the support of about 70 MLAs and are quite sanguine that Sadanand Gowda will be picked.
Not so fast, says the Ananth Kumar camp. The BJP General Secretary has had a troubled relationship with Yeddyurappa, who is said to have shot down the proposal that Ananth Kumar take over as Chief Minister. Now this camp wants to ensure that one of them makes it to the chair. "Central leaders have taken the opinion of both sides. First we thought of myself, Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shettar. After that we sat and talked - along with Ananth Kumar - and we believe it will be Jagadish Shettar, said R Ashok, the Karnataka Home Minister.
But, as the home minister says, "ultimately it is the MLAs who will decide."
Caste equations, which matter much, too are at the heart of this fight for the top position. Mr Yeddyurappa belongs to the powerful and dominant Lingayat community. The Ananth Kumar camp wants Jagadish Shettar, also a Lingayat, to be CM to neutralise Mr Yeddyurappa's indubitable influence. On the other side, the Yeddyurappa camp is pushing for Sadanand Gowda, who is a Vokkaliga, another dominant community. Gowda in the saddle would also mean that Mr Yeddyurappa would remain the Lingayat strongman.
Who is Sadanand Gowda?
Sadanand Gowda, 58, is an MP from Udupi Chikmagalur. He has been BJP state president and a non-controversial one - a considerable feat in a unit that has several power centres. Gowda has also been an MLA and deputy leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly. The Vokkaliga leader has a law degree and was a sportsman in college.
The affable Gowda lists chatting with family and friends among his interests. He has one son - and has so far had no allegations against him of corruption or nepotism. Issues that led to Mr Yeddyurappa's ouster.
Who is Jagadigh Shettar?
Jagadish Shettar is 55 and comes from north Karnataka. He too trained as a lawyer and has been politically active ever since he was a student. He was and active part of both the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat, the BJP's student wind, and the RSS.
Mr Shettar has been leader of the opposition in the state Assembly and he too has been president of the state unit of the BJP. Shettar was also the BJP's first Speaker in the Karnataka Assembly.
This Lingayat leader has had a rocky relationship at times with Mr Yeddyurappa, who picked him as Revenue Minister only after some pressure. He was most recently Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Mr Shettar has two sons.
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