Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Updated
Bengaluru, May 16: The high drama surrounding the formation of the new Karnataka government reached its climax on Wednesday May 16 evening, with governor Vajubhai Vala inviting the BJP to form the government.
BJP with 104 seats in the assembly is the single largest party. Soon after the election results were declared on Tuesday May 15, the Congress and the JD(S) decided to join hands and claim stake to the government.
On Wednesday evening, after intense day-long drama, the governor invited BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa to take oath as the new chief minister of Karnataka.
Yeddyurappa will be sworn-in as the CM on Thursday May 17 at 9 am.
The governor has given the BJP 15 days to prove its majority in a floor test in the assembly.
The governor took the decision after consulting with former Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi, who favoured inviting the single largest party first, in this case the BJP, media reports said.
BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai told reporters, "The governor has invited B S Yeddyurappa to form government. Official communication has been received. The governor has given 15 days to prove majority and oath will take place at 9 am tomorrow (Thursday)."
The BJP on its official Twitter account tweeted, "The moment that crores of Kannadigas are awaiting is here. Sri @BSYBJP will take oath as Chief Minister of Karnataka tomorrow morning at 9.00 AM at Raj Bhavan. The movement to build our Suvarna Karnataka has started."
The BJP had earlier tweeted about the governor's invitation and deleted the tweet within minutes. After getting the governor's letter of invitation, the BJP posted the same tweet again, with a change in the time.
Even before the announcement was officially made, BJP leaders said that the governor had already invited their party to form the government. BJP MLA Suresh Kumar in a tweet, said, "B S Yeddyurappa will be sworn in as Chief Minister of the state at Raj Bhavan tomorrow at 9:30 am on Thursday." He further urged people to join and participate in the event. Suresh Kumar too deleted his tweet later.
The Congress termed as 'shocking' the Karnataka BJP's claim that B S Yeddyurappa would be sworn in as CM, and said it would be tantamount to 'murdering' democracy, 'trampling' Constitution and disregarding all the precedents.
Objecting to the governor's decision, Congress leader P Chidambaram in a press conference in New Delhi said that the governor should not 'act illegally' and is bound by the Constitution and the Supreme Court judgement that states that the single largest party without the required numbers cannot form the government. Chidambaram said that the Congress-JD(S) combine has the majority.
"What is standing in way of the governor from extending invitation to leader of the alliance (H D Kumaraswamy), who clearly demonstrated that he commands the support of the majority," Chidambaram asked.
"The governor holds an exalted constitutional office, he shouldn't walk on a perilous path which is illegal. He's bound by Supreme Court judgement, bound to invite leader of alliance which is presented to him as an alliance that commands maturity of members in legislative assembly," P Chidambaram added.
The JD(S) meanwhile alleged that the BJP had 'poached' the governor as well. The party termed it as a 'black day for democracy'.