BJP core group to meet to take final call on K'taka CM

The Bharatiya Janata P arty core group will meet on Saturday to take a decision on replacing Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda with Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar and finalise the strategy for the vice presidential election.

BJP President Nitin Gadkari has convened the meeting of the party's core group to take a final decision on making Shettar as the new chief minister of Karnataka.

Shettar, who is the rural development minister, is B S Yeddyurappa's choice for the top post in the state. The party is also likely to appoint a deputy chief

minister to placate other senior party leaders representing different communities of Karnataka.

The names of minister R Ashok and Karnataka BJP chief K S Eshwarappa are doing the rounds for the post of deputy chief minister.

The vice presidential election will also be discussed by the core group.

Sources said since the Opposition lacks the numbers, the party may decide not to field a candidate and instead support a candidate put up by one of its allies or a non-Congress party.

The issues related to the Presidential poll, including the office of profit issue involving United Progressive Alliance candidate Pranab Mukherjee, will also be discussed at the meeting.