The Karnataka BJP legislature party on Tuesday elected Basavaraj Bommai as its new leader and he will succeed outgoing Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
"The new leader proposal was made by senior leader BS Yediyurappa and was supported by Govind Karjol, R Ashok, K S Eshwarappa, B Sriramulu, S T Somashekar, Poornima Srinivas, and the newly elected legislature party leader and new Chief Minister will be Basavaraj Bommai," BJP's central observer and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said after the meeting.
Meanwhile, the CM-elect said he will strive to work for the welfare of the poor. He added that his government will be pro-poor people.
"It is a big responsibility in the given situation. I will strive to work for the welfare of the poor. It will be pro-people and pro-poor people governance," news agency ANI quoted Bommai as saying.
"BS Yediyurappa will continue to guide us," said Dharmendra Pradhan at the BJP legislative party meeting held in Bengaluru. "The party has given this responsibility to Bommai who is very experienced and a senior party member," he added. "I am confident he (Bommai) will carry forward the programs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Pradhan further said.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, who was also sent as a central observer to Karnataka, said Bommai was unanimously elected as the Karnataka BJP legislature party leader.
"The @BJP4Karnataka Legislative Party Has Unanimously Elected Sri @BSBommai Avaru As Its Leader & The Next Chief Minister Of Karnataka, In The Presence Of Senior Central & State Leadership, This Evening, In Bengaluru. My Heartiest Congratulations To Sri Bommai," he tweeted.
Who is Basavaraj Bommai?
Basavaraj Bommai was the home minister of Karnataka in the Yediyurappa cabinet. The 61-year-old is also from the dominant Lingayat community. He is the son of former chief minister SR Bommai.
He joined the BJP in 2008. He has previously held a portfolio of water resources. An engineer by profession, Bommai started his career with the Tata group. He is a two-time MLC and three-time MLA from Shiggaon in Haveri district.
Earlier on Monday, veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa resigned as Karnataka Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation to Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot at Raj Bhavan, Yediyurappa said, "Nobody pressurised me to resign. I did it on my own so that someone else can take over as CM after the completion of two years of government. I'll work to bring BJP back in power in the next election." He also assured that he and his supporters shall give their 100 pr cent to whoever will become the next Chief Minister. "We will work under whoever has been selected as the new CM by the (BJP) high command. I will give my 100 per cent and my supporters will also give their 100 per cent. There is no need to make any inference of dissatisfaction," said Yediyurappa.
