Eshwarappa quits as Karnataka BJP unit chief

Bangalore, March 7: KS Eshwarappa has resigned as the president of

's Karnataka unit.

The resignation of Eshwarappa, who is also the state deputy chief minister came today and it will pave way for appointment of a new party chief for the assembly elections.

The resignation may have been timed to the elections to the urban local bodies, which got over today. These polls are going to tell which way the state electorates may tilt.

Eshwarappa sent his resignation letter to party's national president Rajnath Singh.

The party state unit is holding its core committee meeting in next two days to discuss the name of next president of the party unit. National party leader Arun Jaitley is coming to Bangalore tomorrow evening for consultations on this issue.

The ruling party has already announced that it will fight the assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar. After the exit of former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, the task of leading the party had fallen on Shettar. He is belongs to Lingayat community like Yeddyrappa and Lingayats have been the main support base of the party in Karnataka.

The BJP is likely put its faith in former party chief and former chief minister DV Sadanand Gowda again to head the Karnataka unit. He is considered to be lucky mascot for the party as it had won the power in the state, a first in south India, when Gowda was the party chief. He belongs to the Vokkaliga community and its votes are crucial to win at least few seats in south Karnataka. Since Gowda is from Mangalore region, the party can hope to gain in coastal areas too.

OneIndia News