Bangalore: As the BJP central leadership wrestled with the political crisis gripping its state unit in Karnataka, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday rushed to Delhi after being summoned by the party top brass, asserting he has been assured that there would be no change of guard.

Hours after B S Yeddyurappa, who is insisting on his reinstatement as chief minister, left for the national capital, Gowda, accompanied by Ministers S Suresh Kumar, Govind Karjol and S A Raveendranath, left here by a special aircraft.

“Party president Nitin Gadkari has assured (me) that there will be no leadership change. The discussions in Delhi would be centred around the causes that led to the defeat of BJP candidate in the Uudpi-Chikmagalur by-election”, he told reporters before departure.

BJP suffered a major loss of face when the party lost the seat held by Gowda himself before he was appointed as the Chief Minister in August last year replacing Yeddyurappa after his indictment by Lokayukta report on illegal mining.