Basavaraj Bommai to take oath as Karnataka CM at 11 am tomorrow

Bengaluru, July 27: Basavaraj Bommai, close aide of BS yediyurappa has been elected as new chief minister of Karnataka. Though, Yediyurappa had said he would not name his successor, it is clear that he had a major say in the selection of Bommai. By picking Bommai, the BJP has chosen to play it safe, ahead of the assembly polls in 2023.

The 61-year old leader will take oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday at 11 AM. According to the Governor's office, the oath taking ceremony will be at the Glass House in the Raj Bhavan. Bommai alone will take the oath of office on Wednesday.

Soon after the announcement, Bommai sought the blessings of Yediyurappa, and he was greeted by other party leaders. Bommai is from the Lingayat community which also would suit the BJP in its electoral prospects.

"The new leader proposal was made by senior leader B S 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 observers and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said after the meeting.

"We have unanimously elected Basavaraj S Bommai as leader of the BJP Legislative Party. I thank PM Modi for his support. Under PM's leadership, he (Bommai) will work hard," said Karnataka's caretaker CM, BS Yediyurappa.

"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," Bommai said.

Meanwhile, news of Bommai set to becoming the next Chief Minister triggered celebrations in Shiggaon town in the district headquarters of Haveri. Shiggaon is from where Bommai got elected to the Karnataka assembly. Bommai''s supporters hit the roads, burst crackers and raised slogans in favour of their leader.

Ending months of speculation over his exit, Yediyurappa on Monday stepped down as the Chief Minister, coinciding with his government completing two years in office.