Bangalore, August 04: As his rivals (the other group of BJP) in the party planning to boycott his swearing-in ceremony today, the would -be Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda has cleared that he will not be a ‘rubber-stamp’ of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
In an interview to a TV channel, he says, “I will not be a puppet Chief Minister. I have an independent view and an independent character.”
Gowda also wants to allay fears that his administrative skills are unproven. “I have political experience too,” he points out. Mr Gowda, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Udupi Chikmagalur has never been a minister, but has been the BJP’s state unit president and deputy leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Assembly.
He is aware that he has his work cut out. There is rebellion brewing in the house of his neighbour and rival for the post of CM, Jagadish Shettar. A breakfast meeting there is being attended by 55-odd BJP MLAs, all of them disgruntled that Gowda has become Chief Minister.
Sources say this entire camp of dissidents plans to boycott Gowda’s swearing-in ceremony at 4.30 this evening, but the new CM holds out hope that all is well. “I am sure Jagadish Shettar will not boycott…he will attend the swearing in and be sworn in with me,” Gowda says.
And he believes that his smile, that, he says, has helped him to manage the BJP’s state unit as president through “more turbulence” shall ensure that “this too shall pass”.
“I shall get in touch with all persons in the party and come out with a solution to all problems,” Gowda promises.
Through it all, the smile indeed does not fade, and the new Karnataka CM says he hopes to carry it through the next 22 months.