B.S. Yeddyurappa resigns as Karnataka CM, HD Kumaraswamy to meet Governor to form government

B.S. Yeddyurappa on Saturday resigned on the floor of the house two days after he was sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka. He walked out of the Assembly after a highly charged emotional speech and without facing the floor test.

Yeddyurappa delivered an emotional speech, announced his resignation and walked out of the Assembly to Raj Bhawan to submit his resignation letter to the Governor. The House was adjourned.

This move now leads to the JD(S) and Congress combine, led by HD Kumaraswamy of JD(S) getting the opportunity to form the government. However, they too will have to prove majority in the House.

In last week’s election, the BJP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 104 seats, followed by the Congress with 78 seats and the JD(S) with 37 seats. The Congress and the JD(S) formed a quick alliance and claimed to form the government together with 115 seats. However, the Governor called the BJP to form the government and prove within 15 days that the party had the necessary number of MLAs. This led the Congress to file a plea in the Supreme Court. The apex court ordered a floor test on Saturday at 4 pm.

Though the BJP had 104 seats, they were still short of eight MLAs required to reach 111 that was the necessary number for forming the government. One of its MLAs had been chosen as the pro-tem Speaker for today who would have conducted the floor test.

During his speech, Yeddyurappa said seats were not important and he wanted to serve the people. He added that the Congress and the JD(S) had lost the election, and the people of Karnataka had actually supported him. He said the BJP could have made the state a paradise, indicating that it was not meant to be.

He became emotional and said that he would request the MLAs to vote following their conscience. Yeddyurappa said the MLAs of the other side hadn’t been allowed to even speak to their family members, and had been held captive for fear that the BJP would ask them to join the party. “I will lose nothing if I lose power,” he said, adding that his life had been full of agnipariksha. He said there would be many more elections in future.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: “I just spoke with Kumaraswamy Ji and congratulated him. He invited me for the oath taking ceremony on Monday.”

Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “In the end, India’s voice and democratic spirit will always triumph over tyranny. Satyamev Jayate”

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted, “If the Governor of Karnataka has any shame left, he should submit his resignation as well. The Union Ministers sitting in Bangalore, facilitating and enabling corrupt deals, are equally culpable.”