Yeddyurappa’s 3-day reign ends

The three-day old B.S. Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka collapsed on Saturday, with the Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa announcing his resignation without facing a trust vote.

On Friday, the Supreme Court had ordered a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly at 4 pm on Saturday, slashing the 15-day window given by Governor Vajubhai Vala to Yeddyurappa to prove his majority.

“I will not face the confidence vote .... I am going to resign,” Yeddyurappa told the Assembly after in a brief emotional speech. Yeddyurappa said he would now “go to the people.”

According to reports, Yeddyurappa was instructed to resign amid horse-trading charges which would have led to the embarrassment to the party.

The BJP’s “Operation Lotus” to poach legislators from other parties failed and democracy has won in Karnataka, the Congress said soon after Yeddyurappa announced his decision.

The fall of the three-day-old BJP government in Karnataka was a “victory for the regional front” and of democracy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

Yeddyurappa’s resignation paves the way for formation of a government led by JD(S) state chief H.D. Kumaraswamy, who has the backing of the Congress.

The newly formed alliance has claimed support of 117 MLAs in the 224-member House with an effective strength of 221. Kumaraswamy will take oath between 12 pm and 1 pm on Monday at Bengaluru’s Kanteerava stadium. Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, K Chandrashekar Rao, and Mamata Banerjee likely to attend the oath-taking ceremony.

Polling for two seats was not held due to various reasons, while Kumaraswamy won from two places.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was sworn in as Prime Minister in 1996, had ended the 13-day rule by making a spectacular speech as he failed to consolidate 272 seats to prove the majority.

He did not involve in horsetrading and resigned as Prime Minister. Then, the BJP had 161 seats, the Congress had 140 seats.