New Delhi: As his name suggests he is always smiling. DV Sadananda Gowda, who has now become the chief minister of Karnataka by accident, is known for his smiling face and humble nature. Gowda won his first assembly election in 1994 and is a two-time MLA and a two-time MP.
Gowda, who defeated Jagadish Shettar in a secrete ballot on Wednesday, was Shettar's deputy when he (Shettar) was the leader of the opposition between 1999-2004.
"I will do my job well. It is a great honour," said Gowda after he was elected as the leader of BJP legislative party.
The 58-year-old Gowda has always been a party loyalist and a hardcore RSS man. Hailing from the Vokkaliga community, Gowda started his career as an advocate in Puttur near Mangalore. His close association with RSS made him a local BJP leader, an MLA and later an MP.
"Gowda is an able man. He will do well," said senior BJP leader V Dhananjaya Kumar.
Gowda was state BJP president between 2007 and 2010.
The Gowda-BS Yeddyurappa combination won the 2008 Assembly polls and 2009 Lok Sabha polls in the state.
But Gowda lacks administrative experience and has never been a minister. He owes his remarkable victory to out going chief minister Yeddyurappa and it is a common knowledge that he can't go against his mentor.
It might make him a puppet in the hands of Yeddyurappa, who desperately wants to return as chief minister if he manages to clear his name in the mining scam.
The big questions are: How long can Gowda survive? Will he be able to hold the government together?
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