Bangalore, Aug 3 (IANS) D.V. Sadananda Gowda was Wednesday set to be the new chief minister of Karnataka after he was elected leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature wing, narrowly defeating Jagadish Shettar in secret ballot.


Slogan shouting and jostling marred the election of Gowda, a Lok Sabha member from Udupi-Chickmagalur, about 400 km from here. He is also a close associate of outgoing and scam-hit chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

He emerged victorious in secret ballot held after efforts to reach a consensus over the two contenders -- Gowda and Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar -- failed.

Gowda polled 62 votes and Shettar 55. The party has 120 members but only 117 voted.