By Team Mangalorean Bangalore

BANGALORE, November 15, 2009: Karnataka Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar is resigning from the post on Monday paving the way for his induction into state Cabinet as part of the compromise formula evolved by central BJP leaders to end the recent crisis triggered by dissidents demanding change in leadership in the state.

Mr Shettar was expected to be sworn-in as a Cabinet Minister on Tuesday. He will formally resign tomorrow, according to sources in the BJP. Mr Shettar yesterday said in Hubli that he would resign as the Speaker on November 16 and take oath as Minister either on November 17 or 18.

Dissidents spearheading the demand for removal of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa earlier this month had propped up the candidature of Mr Shettar as the replacement. Mr Shettar, a former state BJP state unit president, had reluctantly become the Speaker in May last year when the first BJP Government in south was ushered in.

He saw the move as a ploy by Mr Yeddyurappa to curtail his political growth as being the Speaker puts limitations on him of being active in politics.

Meanwhile, Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar denied his name was being considered for the Speaker’s post.

Having already got the chief minister’s loyalist Shobha Karandlaje to resign from the ministry, Mr Shettar and the Reddys are reported to be insisting that Mr Yeddyurappa drop at least six more ministers close to him and accommodate their followers instead.

While Sadananda Gowda has denied more ministers would be shown the door, Mr Yeddyurappa has been making ambivalent statements. Mr Yeddyurappa has also been forced to shunt out his principal secretary V.P. Baligar.

BJP Karnataka unit President and Udupi-Chikmagalur MP, D V Sadananda Gowda speaking to presspersons in Udupi said the BJP has not taken any decision to induct or drop any minister from the cabinet.

He said the legislative party meeting is scheduled on November 18 and top leaders will attend the meeting. The BJP leader said a coordination committee would select the new Speaker of the Assembly in the winter session. Till the election of the new candidate, the Deputy Speaker will function as the Speaker, he added.

Mr Gowda said the recent political developments in the BJP and the Government have not eroded its credibility, though some minor irritants in the party were sorted out.

He said stringent action would be taken against the partymen, if they indulge in anti-party activities. The BJP would curb with iron- gloves, groupism and interneccine warfare in the party, he added.

The BJP leader also warned disciplinary proceedings against the partymen by its national executive committee, if they issue anti-party statements to the media.