JOIN USGowda, who succeeded B S Yeddyurappa following his indictment by the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, is grappling with the twin challenges of rejunevating administration and putting the divided party house in order.
Elected as the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha member, Gowda donned the mantle of Chief Ministership after he was opted by the group led by Yeddyurappa. He scored a narrow victory in a secret ballot against Jagadish Shettar, propped up by BJP General Secretary H N Ananthkumar.
The soft-spoken and ever-smiling Gowda, who assumed office on August 4, also has another major challenge on hand -- emerging out of the shadow of Yeddyurappa. Gowda has openly aired his desire to complete the remaining two year term and lead the party to victory in the next assembly election also, remarks seen as significant in the backdrop of Yeddyurappa declaring his resolve to stage a comeback in six months as Chief Minister.
Doing a tight rope walk, Gowda has managed to carry out two rounds of ministry expansion without facing any major problem so far inspite of too many claimants for ministerial berths.
Conscious of being branded as a 'puppet' of Yeddyurappa, Gowda has been treading cautiously to prove that he is no push over. "You please wait. Time will only provide answers to all your questions" is Gowda's constant refrain to suggestions that he would be controlled by Yeddyurappa.
He had also roped in the party high command to ward of pressure from the mining magnets -- G Janardhana Reddy, G Karunakara Reddy and their family associate B Sreeramulu -- to be reinducted into the ministry.
The powerful Reddy brothers were indicted by the Lokayukta along with Yeddyurappa. Gowda has tactfully kept seven miniserial positions vacant in a move to ensure that aspirants keep their hope alive and do nothing to create trouble for him or to the government.
As Gowda is trying to put the affairs of the government which was in a dissary into order and enthuse the bureacracy, he has to face a bye-election being held to Koppal Assembly seat on September 26.
Gowda has the responsibility to prove that he has winning cards up his sleeves now by ensuring the victory of Karadi Sanganna, who defected to BJP from JDS in March this year. With groupism continuing to haunt and Yeddyurappa waiting for an opportunity to bounce back, Gowda has tough job on hand in the coming months.
Gowda also has to become a member of either the assembly or the council within six months to continue as Chief Minister.