Yeddyurappa Takes Oath As Karnataka CM Amid Late Night Court Battle

Bengaluru/New Delhi: In one of the high-pitched battle for seats, BJP legislature party leader  B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on Thursday. This is his second stint as the Chief Minister of the state.

Governor Vajubhai Vala had sent a letter of invite to Yeddyurappa late last evening to form the Government and prove majority within 15 days.

The Congress, including senior leaders like former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Ghulam Nabi Azas, Ashok Gehlot and Mallikarjuna Kharge, however, staged a protest in front of the Gandhi statue next to the State Secretariat against the move.

The swearing-in didn’t come easy for the BJP leader as Congress filed a petition in the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing in the matter. In the post-midnight legal battle, the Congress-JD(S) joint petition was taken up by Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who presented his arguments over an hour and half in the hearing which started post 2am.

After filing a petition with Chief Justice of India, a three-bench judge comprising Justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan heard both sides for close to three hours before posting the hearing for Friday morning (May 18). The apex court has asked for the letter submitted by Yeddyurappa to the Governor, without pronouncing a stay on the swearing-in.