Yeddyurappa leaves for Raj Bhavan, to take oath as Karnataka CM at 9 am

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa is all set to take over as the chief minister of Karnataka on Thursday after hours of fast-paced developments that began in Raj Bhavan on Wednesday evening and ended early morning in the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday night, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala invited Yeddyurappa to form the government in the state on the basis of being the leader of the single-largest party, provoking an immediate and angry reaction from the Congress, which challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court did not dismiss the petition but allowed the 75-year-old leader to take oath as the chief minister.

The top court will hear the Congress plea on 10.30 am on Friday and that the matter would be subject to the outcome of the hearing. It asked for the letter written by Yeddyurappa to the Karnataka governor on May 15 for making a claim to form the government to be produced in court, counsels for the Congress and JD(S) said, according to news agency ANI. The court also issued a notice to the respondents, including Yeddyurappa, asking them file a reply.

With the Karnataka assembly polls throwing up a hung verdict, the BJP with 104 seats has fallen short of the half-way mark of 112.

The Congress (78 seats) and JD-S, which won 37 seats, said they had the numbers to run the 224-member House. The bloc also claimed the support of two independents and an MLA belonging to JD(S) ally BSP.

After results were declared on Tuesday for 222 constituencies --- voting in two constituencies was countermanded, both teams rushed to the governor’s house and appeared confident about their bids.

Vala gave Yeddyurappa 15 days to prove his majority on the floor of the house, prompting analysts to fear that the BJP will use this period to convince legislators of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) to abstain from voting. The Congress also objected to the length of time provided to the BJP.