New Delhi: After a day of intense speculations, Karnataka governor Vajubhai Valaon on May 15 evening invited BJP’s B.S. Yeddyurappa to form government in the state. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at 9:00 a.m. on May 17.
The Governor’s letter is reproduced here:
I am in receipt of your letter dated 16th May, 2018 informing me that you have been elected as the leader of the BJP legislative party of Karnataka. I am also in receipt of your letter dated 15th May, 2018 staking claim to form the Government.”
I invite you to form the Government and be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. You may kindly indicate the date, time and the place for scheduling the swearing in ceremony.
I may also direct you that you would seek a vote of confidence on the floor of the House showing that you command the confidence of the House. This process shall be completed within fifteen days from the date of the assumption of your office as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
With regards,
Yours Vajubhai Vala
— Agencies
In a letter addressed to the BJP leader, the governor granted the saffron party a period of 15 days to prove majority on the floor of the House.
Following the governor’s announcement, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress of “blowing up the Constitution to shambles”.
“The party that blew up the constitution to shambles is teaching us the constitution, the party that imposed President rule the most number of times is giving us lessons,” Prasad said.
JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy termed the governor’s decision “unconstitutional” and “encourages” “horse trading”.
“By giving 15-day time (to prove majority) governor is encouraging horse-trading by BJP leaders, this is unconstitutional. We will discuss the future plan,” he said.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala questioned how BJP was able to come to power in Goa and Manipur by forging a post-poll alliance.
“We want to ask Amit Shah that if two parties cannot come together in post poll coalition, then how did you form governments in Goa and Manipur by superseding single largest party? Governor has shamed his office,” Surjewala said.
Surjewala called Governor Vala “BJP’s puppet.”
In 2017, BJP was able to forge a post-poll alliance with non-Congress parties to keep the latter out of power in Goa and Manipur despite it being the single largest party.
Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed the governor for his “partisan decision” and giving “official sanctity” to “horse trading”.
“Dear Governor,
History will judge you for this partisan decision and for giving official sanctity to horse trading to get to power. This happens when party loyalty means more than following constitutional norms that comes with the constitutional office you hold,” she said in a tweet.
Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah, too, lashed out at the governor for reducing the Raj Bhawan (governor’s office) to a “rubber stamp.”
“Once more an occupant of a Raj Bhavan allows himself to be used as a rubber stamp. BJP announces (and then deletes) the details of Yeddyurappa swearing in slated for tomorrow before it can be officially communicated,” he tweeted.
Shortly before the governor’s letter, BJP’s Karnataka unit had created a stir when it tweeted details of the oath-taking ceremony.
