Bengaluru: Karnataka governor on Saturday invited Janata-Dal-Secular’s legislative party leader HD Kumaraswamy to form the next government in the state, following the resignation of BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa, announced his resignation on the floor of the house ahead of his trust vote.
Raeacting to this development, political analysts commented, “When democracy got defeated and “deal” prevailed, the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R Vala had no other option but to extend an invite to Kumaraswamy to form the government of unholy alliance comprising Congress and JD-S.”
“This kind of unscruplous alliance would certainly keep the shady deads of the previous Siddaramaiah government under wraaps for some time but as is known to all and sundry, truth has the strange habit of unravelling sooner than later,” felt analysts.
After the resignation of Yeddyurappa, Kumaraswamy met Vala at Raj Bhavan and staked claim to power and told reporters later, “the Governor has invited me to form the next government as the leader of the JD-S legislative party with the support of the Congress, which is our alliance partner.”
The 58-year-old JD-S leader also said the Governor had given him 15 days to prove majority in the 224-member legislative assembly, whose strength is currently 222.
“I have decide to form the JD-S-Congress alliance government on May 21 by taking oath at 12 noon in the Kanteerva stadium,” added Kumaraswamy.
The Governor’s invitation came hours after Yeddyurappa resigned before the trust vote, as his party with 104 seats fell short of a simple majority in the hung assembly.
The JD-S won 37 seats in the May 12 election, the Congress 78 while the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party and an Independent won one each.
Election to Raja Rajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar) in Bengaluru southwest was postponed to May 28 due to electoral malpractice and in Jayanagar in Bengaluru south to June 11 after it was countermanded following the death of BJP contestant BN Vijaya Kumar on May 4.
As Kumaraswamy won from Ramanagaram and Channapatna assembly segments, the JD-S strength in the assembly is effectively 36.
The JD-S leader is likely to retain Ramanagaram from where he won for the third consecutive time and give up Channapatna, which will lead to a bye-election soon.
The JD-S-Congress alliance has 117 members in the hung House with the support of three others, thus totalling half a dozen over the required halfway mark.
Terming the turn of events on a dramatic day of developments as a victory of democracy, Kumaraswamy said the JD-S and the Congress leaders would discuss the modalities of forming their coalition government on Sunday.