After the departure of B S Yediyurappa as Karnataka Chief Minister, the BJP on Tuesday chose three-time legislator Basavaraj Bommai as his successor. The decision was taken at the BJP Legislature Party meeting whose proceedings were overseen by Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and G Kishan Reddy.
Here are 10 things to know about the new Karnataka CM:
- Basavaraj Bommai started his political career in Janata Dal. and later joined the BJP in 2008.
- He is the son of the state's former Chief Minister SR Bommai.
- 61-year-old Bommai represents Shiggaon in Haveri, a north Karnataka district, and belongs to the Lingayat community like Yediyurappa, the traditional support base for the BJP in the state.
- However, Bommai belongs to the sub-sect Sadar-Lingayat, which is not a dominant group within the Lingayats. While Yediyurappa belongs to the Ganiga sub-sect.
- The three-time legislator has served in water resources and home departments.
- He was also a member of the Manifesto Committee for the last three elections.
- Bommai, along with experience in the administration, is also known to maintain cordial relationships with leaders from other parties.
- As a water resource minister, he is largely credited for the irrigation schemes across Karnataka.
- Bommai is a mechanical engineer by training and has worked with the Tata group early in his career.
- He also joins the class of father-son duo CMs to serve Karnataka.
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