D.V. Sadananda Gowda, once a shy contender for the post of Chief Minister, has come full circle and is set to emerge as a mass leader in his own right in the BJP. To start with, Mr Gowda will hold a luncheon meeting with MLAs and ministers supporting him, at his residence, Anugraha, on July 19. The former CM seems to have realised that the only way to retain his clout after being ousted from power, is to keep meeting his supporters and fight for their cause. The meeting is expected to see Gowda loyalists chalk out a strategy to check the influence of former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the Jagadish Shettar cabinet.
Unhappy over the allotment of insignificant portfolios to them, a few ministers have already complained to Mr Gowda, said sources. The ex-CM reportedly pacified them and assured them that their grievances would be brought to the notice of the central leadership. The MLAs may also press for the post of BJP state president for Mr Gowda. He could face opposition with the RSS keen to install a leader with strong Sangh pariwar links and organisational skills as state chief — someone like Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, whose candidature is being backed by Dakshina Kannada RSS pramukh Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat.
A third contender is Hubli-Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi who is being backed by the faction led by the powerful BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar. Meanwhile, Mr Gowda received support from unexpected quarters with the rival faction led by Mr Yeddyurappa reportedly requesting the central leadership to appoint him as party president.