Karnataka election LIVE: Cong protests at Vidhan Soudha after Yeddyurappa takes oath as CM

The BJP will form the new Karnataka government with 75-year-old BS Yeddyurappa at the helm after election results revealed a hung assembly. Here are the live updates:

Karnataka Elections 2018 Updated: May 17, 2018 10:14 IST
Congress leaders including Siddaramaiah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Ghelot, K C Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge sit in protest against the BJP forming the Karnataka government despite falling short of majority, at the Gandhi statue inside Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru on Thursday.(Arijit Sen/HT Photo)

BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as Karnataka’s new chief minister on Thursday morning after the Supreme Court refused to stay the oath-taking ceremony in a rare late-night hearing. The Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) combine had petitioned the top court late on Wednesday night in a bid to stall the BJP from forming government.

Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala on Wednesday invited the BJP to form the next state government and asked Yeddyurappa, 75, to take over the chief minister’s post by proving his majority in the legislative assembly in 15 days.

The development capped a day of political flux that began after election results on Tuesday threw up a hung house.

Here are the live updates:

10:13am: All MLAs are in contact; the two MLAs who are not present here right now will come, says Congress MLA Khader, outside Eagleton resort near Bengaluru: ANI.

10:10am: JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda leaves from his residence for Shangri-La Hotel where his party MLAs are staying.

9:43am: Congress leaders reach Vidhan Soudha, hold protest at Mahatma Gandhi’s statue against BS Yeddyurappa’s swearing in as CM of Karnataka. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal and Siddaramaiah are among those present.

9:30am: BJP workers celebrate after Yeddyurappa takes oath outside Raj Bhavan.

9:28am: Congress leader and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says the petition against BJP forming government is pending before the Supreme Court. “We will go to the people and we will tell them how BJP is going against the Constitution,” he adds: ANI.

9:20am: “If Congress wants to protest, they should protest against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Siddaramaiah, as this trio has ruined the Congress,” says Union minister Ananth Kumar, according to ANI.

9:15am: Congress and JD(S) MLAs leave Eagleton Resort to protest outside Vidhana Soudha (Karnataka Assembly), reports ANI.

9:07am: Yeddyurappa is Karnataka’s new chief minister. BJP to form government.

Karnataka state governor Vajubhai Vala (right) administers the oath to BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa (left) as chief minister, in Bengaluru on May 17, 2018. (AP )

9:03am: BS Yeddyurappa being sworn in as Karnataka’s new CM.

9am: Oath taking ceremony begins.

8:58am: Congress president Rahul Gandhi calls BJP’s “irrational insistence” to form Karnataka government a “mockery of our Constitution”.

8:55am: Yeddyurappa arrives at Raj Bhavan for oath-taking ceremony.

8:30am: Yeddyurappa leaves for Raj Bhavan.

8:19am: Union ministers JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan and Prakash Javadekar arrive at Raj Bhavan for swearing-in ceremony.

7:10am: Police stand guard outside Raj Bhavan where Yeddyurappa is scheduled to take oath as chief minister of Karnataka at 9am.

6am: The top court also issues notices to Karnataka government and Yeddyurappa seeking their replies on the plea filed by Congress-JD (S) combine and posts matter for hearing on Friday.

5:40am: The court, however, made clear that the swearing-in and the government formation in the state will be subject to the final outcome of the case.

5:30am: In a rare overnight hearing, Supreme Court refuses to stay BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in as Karnataka chief minister after Congress petitions the court. The court began the hearing around 2 am.