Bruised DVS wants to stage a comeback as party chief

[1]

Former chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda has not given up hopes of staging a come-back to a post that he occupied in 2008—president of the state unit of BJP. The former chief minister reportedly expressed his desire to return as state unit chief during a closed-door meeting with general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Dharmendra Pradhan. The hour-long meeting took place at a private hotel in the city, sources in the party told Deccan Chronicle.

The sources said Mr Sadananda Gowda reportedly told Mr Pradhan that the party captured power in 2008 because of his organizing skills and co-ordination with workers at the grass-roots level. If re-appointed as state unit chief, he would work hard to improve the image of the party ahead of next year’s elections to the Legislative Assembly. Any delay in appointment of the new state unit president would have an adverse impact on the image of the party, the former chief minister reportedly told Mr Pradhan.

The sources said Mr. Gowda also sought a complete reshuffle of portfolios of ministers in the new government headed by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar. He reportedly complained that developmental activities had come to a stand-still as ministers loyal to former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa were lax in their style of functioning. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, deputy chief ministers K.S. Eshwarappa and R. Ashok also met Mr Pradhan regarding reshuffle of portfolios.