Bangalore:
Supporters of outgoing Karnataka chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda, including some MLAs, demanded on Sunday that the Central leadership give him a 'vital' role in the state unit of the BJP.
As Mr Gowda arrived in Bangalore from New Delhi, where he was asked by the central leadership to quit yielding to the demand of former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, his supporters thronged the airport and raised slogans hailing him.
They said at least 30 BJP MLAs would meet senior leaders Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh, who would arrive in Bangalore on Monday to oversee the election of Jagadish Shettar as the BJP legislature party leader, and take up their demand that Mr Gowda be made the party's state unit chief.
Mr Gowda's supporters said he was capable of leading the BJP as he had held the post in the past.
Their demand comes in the wake of Vokkaliga community expressing dissatisfaction over BJP's decision to replace Mr Gowda with Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar.