Karnataka CM-designate Basavaraj Bommai: Pro-people, pro-poor governance my aim

Shortly after his election as Karnataka Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that he will strive to work for the welfare of the poor.

"It is a big responsibility in the given situation. I will strive to work for the welfare of the poor. It will be pro-people and pro-poor people governance," he said.

Bommai, who held the portfolio of the state home minister, was elected as chief minister at a meeting of the Karnataka BJP Legislative Party in Bengaluru today.

Karnataka's caretaker Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa, said: "We have unanimously elected Basavaraj S Bommai as leader of the BJP Legislative Party. I thank PM Modi for his support. Under PM's leadership, he (Bommai) will work hard."

Karnataka minister and BJP leader K Sudhakar said that Bommai will probably take oath tomorrow.

"All MLAs took this unanimous decision. He commands respect, not just from the party even from outside the party. Basavaraj S Bommai will probably take oath tomorrow," he said.

The meeting was attended by several MLAs along with the central observers -- Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and G Kishan Reddy -- BJP's Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh, BS Yediyurappa, and Jagadesh Shetter.

Following the announcement Karnataka's caretaker CM, BS Yediyurappa said, "We have unanimously elected Basavaraj S Bommai as leader of the BJP Legislative Party. I thank PM Modi for his support. Under PM's leadership, he (Bommai) will work hard."

While BJP leader K Sudhakar said, "All MLAs took this unanimous decision. He commands respect, not just from the party even from outside the party. Basavaraj S Bommai will probably take oath tomorrow."

Yediyurappa, on Monday, tendered his resignation as Karnataka Chief Minister, ending weeks of speculation over his continuance on the post. Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot accepted his resignation and asked him to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister till the next CM is sworn in.

Stating that nobody pressurised him to resign, Yediyurappa said he had stepped down so that somebody else could take over as chief minister after the successful completion of two years of the BJP-led state government.

Ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls, Yediyurappa assured that he shall work to bring the party back to power in the upcoming polls.

(ANI)