Gowda sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister

V Sadananda Gowda took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on Thursday even as the post's other contender Jagadish Shettar and his group stayed away from the ceremony, indicating a rough road ahead for the new CM from the ruling BJP's warring faction.

Karnataka Governor H R Baradwaj administered the oath to Gowda, a loyalist of the former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, at a simple ceremony in Raj Bhavan.

Besides Gowda, no other minister took oath.

State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K.S. Eshwarappa and party general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar, who were backing Shettar, however, were present at the swearing-in.

Ahead of his swearing-in, V Sadananda Gowda said he will not be a puppet CM and would weather the present political storm.

"I will not be a puppet CM," he told a news channel when questioned if former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who handpicked him for the post, would call the shots.

He said he has warded off many turbulence in the past as the party´s state president and the present crisis will be over too.

"I overcame those with my smile," said Gowda, known for his affable demeanor clean image.

He said he would continue to be the CM for the next 22 months.

He had claimed that Jagadish Shettar and his supporters will attend the swearing-in ceremony too, but that did not happen.

Even after the BJP staved off a crisis in Karnataka by selecting BSY´s candidate D V Sadananda Gowda as the state's new chief minister, media reports earlier said more than 55 MLAs could boycott the swearing-in ceremony. It almost happened with a large number of MLAs staying away.

Earlier on Wednesday, B S Yeddyurappa, the state's former chief minister, finally had his say over the choice of his successor as his loyalist Gowda was chosen as the new chief minister though in a secret ballot.

But even as Yeddyurappa camp broke out in celebrations after the name of Gowda was announced, the group backing Jagadish Shettar were miffed at the decision.

Shettar reportedly turned down the offer to Shettar to be the Deputy Chief Minister.

Earlier, Gowda rallied hard to project a still-unified image of the Karnataka BJP.

"I thank the entire legislature for reposing confidence in me and electing me as the new leader of the legislators," he said after his election.

"I would try to give good governance and a people-friendly pro-development government," said Gowda.