‘Another 1 or 2 days’: Karnataka minister R Ashoka on time required to elect new CM

Karnataka revenue minister R Ashoka on Tuesday said that the new chief minister of the state would be selected within a day or two. “Another one or two days, 48 hours,” news agency ANI quoted Ashoka as saying.

The minister further said that the decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) high command will be followed in the selection process of the chief minister. “Everybody is an aspirant, everybody wants to be CM. But there is only one CM. That is why we will follow [the] party high command's decision,” Ashoka added.

Following the resignation of BS Yediyurappa on Monday, BJP’s general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh said that the candidate for the top post in the state would be selected following a legislature party meeting in Bengaluru, as per the directions of the party’s parliamentary board.

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Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and G Kishan Reddy, who were appointed as the central observers for the discussion, also arrived at Bengaluru to attend the meeting at a private hotel, scheduled for later on Tuesday evening.

“Whatever will be the decision of our party's parliamentary board, its direction regarding the name of the leader will be finalised at the legislature party meeting,” Arun Singh said earlier on Tuesday.

Singh also praised the Yediyurappa government for its work and said that the party would continue to benefit from the veteran leader’s experience. “Yediyurappa has resigned. His government has worked excellently in Karnataka in the last two years and has worked for every section and sector. His experience will be utilised in the party organisation and the government. The party will continue to benefit from his experience,” Singh added.

Yediyurappa announced his decision to resign from office during an event to mark the completion of two years of his government. While the veteran leader said that he had not made any recommendations for his successor, there are several names that are being speculated for the state’s top post. However, the BJP’s state unit had said that it will accept the central leadership’s decision on the next chief minister.

(With agency inputs)