The BJP core committee is reported to have decided to replace Sadananda Gowda with Jagdish Shettar as Chief Minister of Karnataka.

PTI quoting sources in the party said the core committee meeting held in New Delhi yesterday decided to change its leadership in the state. An official announcement is likely to be made after Mr Gowda meets the party president Nitin Gadkari who will arrive in the capital today. He has already met senior party leader L K Advani and others. BJP leader Arun Jaitely has said the core committee meeting discussed the political situation in the state.

Earlier, Sadananda Gowda said he is prepared to accept whatever decision is taken by the party's central leadership. He said the decision should not be delayed as 123 taluks in the state are under severe drought and people should not feel that political disturbances in the state are affecting the functioning of the government.

The change of leadership in the state apparently comes because of pressure from Yeddiyurappa, who was removed as Chief Minister last year in wake of corruption allegations against him. Yeddiyurappa has been insisting for some time now that Gowda should be replaced with his close associate Shettar, a Lingayat leader and Rural Development Minister.

Meanwhile, Congress has said that only fresh poll can solve the problem of Karnataka and not by change of guard. AICC general secretary B K Hari Prasad told reporters in New Delhi that there is a continuous governance paralysis in the BJP ruled state. He said 129 talukas are suffering from severe drought and the state government has not taken any action to ameliorate the lot of the common people. He alleged that the state government has also failed on the law and order front.