Kumaraswamy to take oath as Karnataka CM on Wednesday
Bengaluru, May 20 (IBNS): Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy will take oath as the new Karnataka Chief Minister on May 23 (Wednesday) instead of Monday as May 21 happens to be the date on which former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a suicide bombing at Sriperumbudur near Chennai in 1991, media reports said.
Kumaraswamy's party stitched an alliance with the Congress to install the new state government with the support of 117 lawmakers and will succeed Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) BS Yeddyurappa, who had resigned on Saturday after failing to get the majority of 111 seats.
Yeddyurappa was controversially sworn in as the CM on Thursday though his party was short of six seats to majority despite being the single largest political outfit in Karnataka.
In a dramatic turnaround, Yeddyurappa, who had earlier exuded confidence in proving majority, resigned on Saturday even before the floor test, which was scheduled to begin at 4 pm.
On the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony, several opposition leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati have been invited by Kumaraswamy.
The opposition leaders have already reacted to the latest development in the southern state, where the Congress-JD(S) are in a position to form the next government.
Rahul Gandhi said: "We have protected the mandate of Karnataka's people. If BJP had complete majority, we would have let them form the government. But, our alliance with the JD(S) has more votes. If you calculate our vote share, there is not competition at all."
Mamata Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, tweeted, "Democracy wins. Congratulations Karnataka. Congratulations DeveGowda Ji, Kumaraswamy Ji, Congress and others. Victory of the 'regional' front"
Telegu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Chandrababu Naidu tweeted, "Resignation of BS Yeddyurappa as Karnataka's CM is a true victory for democracy. Entire nation is happy with the current turn of events. As a Chief Minister and a firm believer of democracy, I am expressing my happiness."
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