B S Yeddyurappa ready to form government in Karnataka

BJP party workers offer milk to cutouts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP state unit President BS Yeddyurappa, as they celebrate in Bengaluru. Pics/PTI/AFP

Governor Vajubhai Vala on Wednesday invited BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa to form the government in Karnataka, capping a day of intense jockeying for power and allegations by the Congress of bribery and horse-trading against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I invite you (Yeddyurappa) to form the government and be sworn-in as the chief minister of Karnataka," a Raj Bhavan communique said.

Vala also asked 75-year-old Yeddyurappa to seek a vote of confidence within 15 days of assuming office as the chief minister. Briefing reporters, BJP General Secretary Muralidhar Rao said Yeddyurappa will take oath on Thursday at 9 am. Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah are unlikely to attend the swearing in ceremony, party sources said.

B S Yeddyurappa

Toiling hard to control the levers of power in Karnataka, Yeddyurappa and H D Kumaraswamy, the leader of the newly formed JD(S)-Congress alliance had earlier met Vala and staked claim to form the government.

With 104 MLAs in the 224-member Assembly, the BJP is the single largest party, while the JD(S)-Congress coalition, has 116 legislators. With there being precedents of both governors inviting either the leader of the single largest party or that of a post-poll coalition to form the government, Vala, opted for the former.

104
No. of newly elected BJP legislators

78
Total no. of seats the Congress won

38
Total no. of seats the JD(S) won

36.2
Percentage of BJP's vote share

9AM
Hour at which Yeddy would be sworn in as chief minister