Karnataka BJP MLAs Meet To Pick New Chief Minister: 10 Points

BS Yediyurappa, the Lingayat strongman who helped the BJP acquire a foothold in the south, has not named any successor. But there is speculation that Basavraj Bommai, K Sudhakar and R Ashoka are among the front-runners for the post.

Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and G Kishan Reddy had reached Bengaluru earlier today and are attending the meet with Arun Singh, the BJP's state in-charge.

Central observers generally convey the party leadership's view to the MLAs before they elect their leader.

For the BJP, filling Mr Yediyurappa's shoes is a balancing act, given that the Lingayats -- the politically powerful community to which he belonged -- were not in favour of his removal.

Earlier, religious leaders of the community and a few who even belonged to the opposition Congress, had spoken in favour of his continuation in the post.

Mr Yediyurappa, who stepped down after weeks of anticipation, has said nobody had forced him to resign. In his farewell speech, Mr Yediyurappa spoke of being tested constantly over the last two years.

Sources said Mr Yediyurappa had resigned on July 10. A senior leader close to him had brought his resignation letter to Delhi and handed it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi the same day.

Mr Yediyurappa, though, had kept up the suspense over his resignation till the last minute. A party leader even said he had expressed hope for a "favorable decision" from the top leadership.

Amid resentment against him and his son, the buzz about his exit grew after he visited Delhi earlier this month and met top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP's first Chief Minister in the south, Mr Yediyurappa got his fourth term after a dramatic coup in 2019 that saw the Janata Dal Secular-Congress government topple after 17 rebels resigned. Most joined the BJP and many became part of Mr Yediyurappa's cabinet.