After Days Of Suspense, BSY Finally Resigns As K'taka CM

Ending intense speculation over a leadership change in Karnataka, chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday announced his resignation in an emotional speech during an event to commemorate two years of his government in the state.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accepted Yediyurappa’s resignation and asked him to continue as caretaker chief minister till the next CM is sworn in. The Lingayat strongman’s decision to step aside now sets the stage for a new era in Karnataka politics

and for BJP in particular as the party’s fortunes have been wedded to BSY’s rise in the southern state. Hours after he resigned, the BJP high command announced to send a team of observers led by Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan to Bengaluru to oversee a meeting of the legislative party to elect the next CM.

‘Parliamentary board of BJP to pick next CM of K’taka today’

Senior party sources indicated the choice will be from the current crop of legislators. It is yet to be known who will succeed the 78-year-old Lingayat leader with several names doing the rounds and most of the party’s senior leadership in the state throwing their hats into the ring. Choosing a successor will be a test as influential Lingayat mutts have protested against BSY’s resignation, and the community is key to BJP’s electoral strength in the state.