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Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, who lost his job in the wake of his indictment by Lokayukta in the illegal mining scam, has reportedly thrown his weight behind friend-turned-foe K. S. Eshwarappa, the BJP state president, in order to keep his Lingayath rival Jagadish Shettar out of power.

Outgoing Karnataka CM B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Efforts to reach a consensus between B.S. Yeddyurappa and his rivals for the post of Karnataka chief minister have virtually failed.

Sources say a vote or headcount could now be held on Wednesday to elect the new chief minister although the BJP’s central observers, Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh, are still trying for a consensus.

Two bus loads of MLAs, believed to be supporters of Jagdish Shettar, have reached the venue of the BJP legislature party meeting.

Senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley are in Bangalore to hammer out a compromise formula and get a chief minister who is acceptable to all.

Yeddyurappa has been backing Sadananda Gowda for the chief minister’s post. He refuted allegations that Gowda would be a puppet chief minister who will allow him to rule by proxy.

But Yeddyurappa’s rivals want Shettar to be the next chief minister.

In the run-up to the meeting, Yeddyurappa told state government officials in Bangalore on Tuesday that he will return as chief minister within six months.

Yeddyurappa also met the heads of the Lingayath Mutts on Tuesday, urging them not to support Shettar. He held meetings with the state’s senior RSS leaders as well, who summoned Eshwarappa later. They reportedly supported his candidature as the CM. "The idea is to present Eshwarappa as the compromise candidate before the BJP’s national leaders. The Kumar camp or Shettar’s supporters cannot object to Eshwarappa’s candidatures under such circumstances. We hope our plan works out," the aide said.

If Eshwarappa emerges as the consensus candidate for the CM’s post, there will be a deputy CM for which the name of home minister R. Ashoka (Vokkaliga) is being proposed. "As a final bargain, the Yeddyurappa camp may offer the deputy CM’s post to Shettar," sources added.

As of now, 65 legislators are supporting Yeddyurappa while 52 are with Shettar.

About 11 MLAs (rebels disqualified last year) have taken a neutral stand to see which side wins.

In another surprise move on Tuesday, Yeddyurappa moved court against the Lokayukta’s report on the mining scam. His petition questions his indictment while former CMs N. Dharam Singh and H. D. Kumaraswamy have been spared.

He sought quashing of the report for "malafide" intentions.

Yeddyurappa points out that the alleged kickbacks received from the mining companies through his family’s Prerana Education Trust should not be the basis for his indictment.

"It is a donation made by the mining company. It can’t be termed as a kickback," the petition, which has been listed for hearing next week, contends.