Basavaraj Somappa Bommai is the New CM of Karnataka

Bengaluru: A day after BS Yediyurappa resigned from the post of Karnataka Chief Minister, Basavaraj Somappa Bommai was elected 20th CM of the State by the BJP legislature party in the presence of central observers Dharmendra Pradhan and G Kishan Reddy.

According to party sources, Bommai, a Lingayat leader from North Karnataka, had the backing of the outgoing Chief Minister Yeddyurappa.

Basavaraj Bommai is the son of former chief minister, the late S R Bommai.

The 61-year-old leader was Minister for Home Affairs, Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Legislature in Yediyurappa’s council of ministers which was dissolved on Monday.

“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,” Dharmendra Pradhan said after the meeting.

Soon after the announcement, Bommai sought the blessings of Yediyurappa, and he was greeted by other party leaders.

The day started with BJP’s Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh, along with State party chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, reaching the residence of Yediyurappa to discuss the selection of his successor.

The legislature party meeting to elect the new leader took place at a city hotel in the presence of Dharmendra Pradhan and another Union minister G Kishan Reddy who were appointed as central observers by BJP’s parliamentary board.

It was attended by BJP national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh, State president Nalin Kumar Kateel, national general secretary C T Ravi, among others.

Known for his “clean and non-controversial” image, Bommai is considered among the close confidants of Yediyurappa.

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