Facing the worst crisis of the three years it has been in power in Karnataka, the ruling BJP is likely to witness a silent coup to unseat controversial CM B.S. Yeddyurappa once he returns from a holiday in Mauritius.
Highly placed sources in the party said the initiative to get the CM out of the saddle, is being taken by none other than his Shimoga colleague and party state president K.S. Eshwarappa.
A hush hush campaign has already begun in the party to diminish the clout the CM wielded in the organization, soon after he was indicted in the Lokayukta report.
Joining hands with Mr Eshwarappa in the anti-BSY campaign is his arch rival and party national general secretary Ananth Kumar who has managed to rope in home and transport minister R. Ashok to lend his support to the move.
In fact, soon after the Lokayukta report was leaked to the media, Mr Ananth Kumar and Mr Eshwarappa held two rounds of discussion to chalk out their future course of action.
A change is already evident in the style and functioning of Mr Eshwarappa since Friday, admit party workers indicating that he is preparing himself to take over for the remaining two years of the BJP government's tenure.
The mood in the party, which was gloomy on Friday, has turned to one of resilience after the Ananth camp took over the task of handling the media, the sources said.
According to the secret pact between Mr Kumar and Mr Eshwarappa, the day after the Lokayukta submits his final report, they will approach central leaders seeking the resignation of Mr Yeddyurappa.
Mr Eshwarappa, a Kuruba, will be projected as the alternative CM. To balance the caste equation, R. Ashok, a Vokkaliga and Jagadish Shetter a Lingayat, may be made deputy chief ministers and assigned major portfolios.
This time, the oust-BSY operation is likely to be conducted meticulously. If he refuses to abide by the opinion of the majority of legislators that he should step down, Mr Eshwarappa is likely to openly demand his resignation to put more pressure on the central leadership.
The party is keen on avoiding too much speculation in the media with Mr Eshwarappa issuing a gag order and authorising four of his trusted lieutenants — C.T. Ravi, Ayanur Manjunath, Prahlad Joshi and D.B. Chandregowda — to handle the task.
The party chief reportedly pulled up the state's representative in New Delhi, Dhananjay Kumar and Mr Yeddyurappa's political secretary B.J. Puttaswamy and has told them to keep mum on the controversy.
Hands-off the lokayuktya
Mr Eshwarappa has directed the BJP's media wing not to take on Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, who was persuaded to withdraw his resignation earlier by none other than L.K. Advani and national president Nitin Gadkari.
The BJP is keen on avoiding a personal attack on the Lokayukta, who is also involved in the civil society campaign against corruption.