Yeddy takes charge in K’taka
MIDNIGHT DRAMA Says confidence of winning the confidence vote; hints at waiving off crop loans of up to ~1 lakh BENGALURU:
BJP legislature party leader BS Yeddyurappa took oath as the Karnataka chief minister on Thursday for the third time, hours after the Supreme Court declined to stay his swearing-in ceremony in a midnight courtroom drama that stretched to early morning.
The 75-year-old Lingayat strongman was administered the oath of office and secrecy by governor Vajubhai Vala at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru at 9am even as the JD(S)-Congress combine moved the Supreme Court to stall government formation.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader, who has been asked to prove his majority in the assembly within 15 days, announced that he would waive off crop loans up to ~1 lakh soon.
In the 224-member assembly, the BJP has 104 MLAs, eight short of the magic figure of 112. Polling was held in 222 seats.
Though the court did not stay the swearing-in, it kept the sword of Damocles hanging over Yeddyurappa, making it clear that his stay at the helm will be subject to the outcome of the case posted for further hearing at 10.30 am on Friday.
The three-judge bench headed by Justice AK Sikri also sought the letter Yeddyurappa wrote to the governor on Wednesday informing him his election as the BJP legislature party leader in the state.
Earlier on Wedensday night, the Congress and JD-S filed a joint writ petition in the apex court seeking to stall Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, who are usually present at the swearing-in of party chief ministers, were absent during the ceremony attended among others by Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Anant Kumar, JP Nadda and DV Sadanda Gowda.
Yeddyurappa, who took the oath alone, exuded confidence that he would win the confidence vote.