Mr Jagdish Shettar will be the new chief Minister of Karnataka. Announcing this in New Delhi today BJP President Nitin Gadkari said that a meeting of the Party's core committee was held yesterday to discuss the political situation in the State. He said, he has accepted the resignation of present Cheif Minister Sadanand Gowda. Mr Gadkari said that party central observers will go to Bangalore tomorrow in this connection. Mr Gadkari said that BJP State legislative party will meet the Governor HR Bhardwaj to aprise him about the change of leadership.

Yesterday, Mr Gowda met senior party leader L K Advani and others. AIR correspondent reports, the change 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.