Jagadish Shettar is new Karnataka CM

It is official. BJP leader DV Sadananda Gowda has resigned from the post of Karnataka chief minister and BS Yeddyurappa loyalist and Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar will replace him. BJP president Nitin Gadkari made the announcement after a party meeting on Sunday in the capital.

Making the announcement, Gadkari said, "Sadananda Gowda offered to resign for the larger good of the party. The party has accepted his resignation. The party has decided to make Jagadish Shettar the new Karnataka chief minister."

He added, "Sadananda Gowda has done a good job as chief minister for 11 months. There is no complaint against his work. Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh will be going to Bangalore tomorrow. There would be a state legislatures meet."

The announcement may have ended a long fought battle between Gowda and party strongman BS Yeddyurappa, whom he had replaced nearly an year ago.

Within months of Gowda taking over, ties between him and his predecessor had strained and Yeddyurappa, on numerous occasions, threatened to leave the party if Gowda was not replaced.

Yeddyurappa is believed to have proposed his loyalist and Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar's name for the post. It is likely the BJP high command made its decision eyeing the powerful Lingayat votes in the state.

Meanwhile, Gowda has said that he would be loyal to the party "in the future also" and the new chief minister will be extended "all cooperation from me".

"My central leaders have taken a decision for change of leadership in Karnataka for political reasons... I will be loyal to the party in future also. The incoming CM will be given all cooperation from me," he said.

Sources say the BJP will likely send Sadanand Gowda to the Rajya Sabha.

They also say that KS Eshwarappa could be made the deputy chief minister of the state.