
Karnataka Assembly Floor Test Highlights: In a dramatic turn of events, BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa announced his resignation after he failed the to secure the magic number –112– required to form the government. In his emotional address to the House, Yeddyurappa said he had many dreams of developing Karnataka. “If only people would have given us 113 seats instead of 104, we would have made this state a paradise.” Attacking Congress and JDS over their ‘unholy alliance’, the outgoing CM said, “Those who were swearing on the names of each other’s fathers and calling each other names before polls, have now come together to form this unholy alliance.”
In the evening, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy met Governor Vajubhai Rahubhai Vala and staked the claim to form the government. The oath-taking ceremony was scheduled to take place on Monday. Monday being Rajiv Gandhi’s death anniversary, the swearing-in was rescheduled for Wednesday
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court rejected Congress’ petition challenging the appointment of K G Bopaiah as the pro tem speaker ahead of Karnataka floor test. The bench, however, allowed the floor test to be telecast live. “Live broadcast of floor test would be the best way to ensure transparency of proceedings,” the judges said.
Read | Supreme Court rejects Cong’s plea, Bopiah to continue as pro tem speaker
Follow LIVE updates of our coverage of the Karnataka government formation on Sunday, May 20, here
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today hit out at the Congress, calling it 'arrogant' and its leadership 'feudal' for celebrating a 'victory of jugaad' after Yeddyurappa resigned as the Karnataka chief minister without facing the floor test.
Naqvi used a popular couplet of Urdu poet Allama Iqbal and said there are several contests to go before the Congress burst into celebration. 'Advice to 'arrogant' Congress and its 'feudal leadership', who are celebrating 'victory of Jugaad' — 'Sitaron Ke Aage Jahan Aur Bhi Hain, Abhi Waqt Ke Imtehan Aur Bhi Hain' (there is world beyond stars, many test of times yet to be held). #FloorTest,' Minority Affairs Minister Naqvi said on Twitter.
-PTI
Former Union minister and Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath today said that the fall of three-day old Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka was a "tight slap" on the decision of the state's Governor. In a statement, Nath said, "Karnataka's Governor (Vajubhai Vala) was following the directives of Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Shah (BJP president Amit Shah). The fall of Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka is a tight slap on the decision of the Governor. BJP should learn a lesson through this incident."
-PTI
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has termed the collapse of the three-day-old B S Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka a "victory of the people's mandate" and asked the central government to resign on moral grounds.
"Today, the people's mandate has prevailed over money power," Yadav wrote on Twitter in Hindi. "Those who thought they could buy everyone have learnt the lesson that there are still people left who don't consider politics a business," he tweeted. "The central government should also resign on moral grounds," he added.
-PTI
"I will invite Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi ji personally to attend the oath-taking ceremony," says Kumaraswamy. "We will call a session soon to prove our majority," he adds.
"I want to thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and other Congress leaders and MLAs for their support. I want to thank everyone, people of Karnataka, Mayawati ji for their support, says Kumaraswamy.
"The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Monday. I will take oath at Kanteerava Stadium. Governor invited me to form the government and asked me to prove the majority in 15 days," says Kumaraswamy.
Governor has invited us to form the government, says JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy after meeting Vajubhai Rahubhai Vala in Bengaluru.
BJP leader Ananth Kumar today said the coalition government of Congress and the JD(S) would not last long as it was an "unholy nexus." "BJP alone can give a stable government," Kumar told reporters in New Delhi. "The new government born out of unholy nexus of Congress and JD(S) won't stay for long. Only BJP can give the stable government. The mandate was given to BJP as the people of the state had rejected Congress," he said.
He said people of Karnataka rejected Congress and people of Chamundeshwari constituency rejected Siddaramaiah whereas JDS became a "marginal" party. "It is a shame for the Congress party that despite having 78 seats, they have fallen at the feet of JD(S) just to stop BJJ," he said.
_PTI
JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy will meet Governor Vajubhai Vala at 7.30 pm, to stake the claim for forming the government, reports ANI.
JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy has said the Congress-JDS combine was not in a hurry and was awaiting an invitation from Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rahubhai Vala for government formation in the state.
"We are not in a hurry. We are waiting for an invitation from the governor," he told reporters after Yeddyurappa announced his decision to quit as Karnataka chief minister without facing the vote of confidence in the Assembly.
-PTI
"Everyone will be happy about it. PM and BJP president tried to deride democracy. What message did they give by encouraging the corrupt? BJP brought back Janardhan Reddy to the forefront and did politics," ANI quoted Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu as saying after BS Yeddyurappa resigned as Karnataka CM.