Was it a guilty conscience that forced Lingayat strongman B.S. Yeddyurappa to make sure a prominent leader of his community—Jagadish Shettar— was made Chief Minister replacing Sadananda Gowda?
Sources close to the ex-CM said that he was under tremendous pressure from his community leaders for not backing Jagadish Shettar's candidature about 11 months ago when he recommended D. V. Sadananda Gowda—a Vokkaliga— for the Chief Minister’s post. Mr Gowda had defeated Mr Shettar in the CM election held in August, 2011 with Yeddyurappa’s support.
Speaking to reporters, a source close to BSY disclosed that Mr Yeddyurappa looked a relaxed man after Mr Shettar was elected unopposed as the CM designate at a recent legislature party meeting. Quoting BSY, the sources said: "Mr Yeddyurappa always felt Mr Shettar deserved to be his successor though he had opposed Mr Shettar last year suspecting that he could be upstaged by the Hubli strongman. With the election of Mr Shettar as legislature party leader, he has got over his guilt.”
According to the source, Mr Yeddyurappa was none too happy when he came to know that Mr Gowda was planning a ‘secret pact’ with JD(S) supremo H. D. Deve Gowda to form a coalition in the event of BSY breaking away from the BJP and floating his own party. Mr Sadananda Gowda’s proximity to Mr Deve Gowda and his sons also annoyed him. “Mr Sadananda Gowda could have openly discussed matters with me. I would have helped him clarify his doubts," Mr Yeddyurappa told his followers before explaining why he wanted a change of leadership.
On what would happen if Dakshina Kannada MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel was appointed state BJP chief, Mr Yeddyurappa, according to sources, said the BJP would lose ground and never come to power if Mr Kateel was made state president.