Jagadish Shettar to be sworn in as Karnatka CM on Thursday

Bangalore, July 11 (ANI): Jagadish Shivappa Shettar, a loyalist of former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, will be sworn in as Karnataka's chief minister on Thursday.

The BJP legislature party in the state on Tuesday unanimously chose Shettar as their new leader in the presence of party's central observers Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh.

The selection of Shettar, however, was not easy, as the faction led by outgoing chief minister Sadanand Gowda, bargained hard for their demands.

Shettar will meet Karnataka Governor, H R Bhadwaj in Bangalore to stake his claim to form the next government in the state.

Earlier, Gowda resigned as state chief minister after a less than comfortable tenure of eleven months, making way for Shettar.

The takeover, however, was far from smooth, as supporters of Gowda staged protests and demanded appropriate posts for him and other key leaders supporting the outgoing chief minister.

Some of the supporters trying to physically prevent Gowda from stepping down, necessitating police action.

Shettar, 56, a Lingayat leader backed by Yeddyurappa, will be the third change of guard in the BJP-ruled state in four years.

Wednesday's ugly show of factionalism indicates a deep-seated caste polarization in Karnataka.

Shettar will in all probability be in office till May next year, as at that time, assembly elections will be due in Karnataka.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is counting heavily on the Lingayat community as its main vote base for next year's assembly polls.

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.

In the last bout, nine ministers loyal to Yeddyurappa had resigned amid reports that the rebel camp was ready to bring down the BJP's only government in the south.

The central leadership stepped in and agreed to their demand for making Shettar chief minister.

Shettar, senior leader Rajnath Singh, Pradhan, BJP general secretary H N Anantkumar, Mr. Eshwarappa and Yeddyurappa have been holding parleys to finalise the list of ministers who will take oath on Thursday. (ANI)