After Karnataka politics witnessed high octane drama for the last few days, lingayat strongman BS Yeddyurappa resigned as Chief Minister ahead of the floor test on Saturday.
Yeddyurappa’s resignation now paves way for Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy to take over as the Chief Minister. The Congress and the JD(S) entered into a post-poll alliance to stake claim to form a Government as they had the numbers to prove majority on the floor of the House. Kumaraswamy said, “We are waiting for the Governor’s invitation.”
In the morning, Yeddyurappa sounded supremely confident that he would be able to pass the floor test but as the clock ticked by, the writing became clear on the wall. The Congress and JD(S) MlAs were united even in the face of lure of money and ministerial berths from the BJP camp.
With one after another bribery tape exploding during the day implicating senior BJP leaders including Yeddyurappa himself and causing much embarrassment to the party, the BJP leadership swung into action. BJP chief Amit Shah reportedly advised Yeddyurappa not to push the matter further and resign without facing the floor test.
Yeddyurappa, who took the office just three days back, resigned on the floor of the House after an emotional speech keeping his options open for the next political fight ahead of 2019 elections. As directed by the Supreme Court, the floor test was to take place at 4 pm after Pro-tem Speaker KG Bopaiah had administered the oath of office to the elected MlAs.
The House also witnessed high drama about two Congress MlAs Anand Singh and Pratapgouda Patil who returned to the Congress side after being “missing” for the last two days. Around noon, senior police officer reached Hotel Goldfinch, one kilometer from the Vidhana Soudha, on learning that the two MlAs have been kept captive there. Patil was indeed found there. He was escorted to the Vidhana Soudha by Congress leaders and a posse of policemen. In the Assembly’s Opposition lounge, Patil was given a rousing welcome by the Congress members. But they kept a close watch on him and did not leave him alone even when he had his lunch.
Anand Singh appeared in the House around 3.30 pm and was escorted to his seat by D Shivkumar, the man who played key role in keeping the “poachers” at bay.
Yeddyurappa, who broke down while delivering his speech, said he would fight to defeat the Congress and the JD(S).
“They (Congress-JDS) kept accusing each other during the campaign and then joined hands to form an opportunistic coalition,” he said.
“Today it’s a trial by fire, but my whole career has been this way. We wanted to change the trajectory of development. I appeal to members to think about the development. Imagine if there is a Modi Government at the Centre and Yeddyurappa Government here,” he said.
“I will travel across the State nonstop. We have received tremendous love and support across the State. For 2019, I promise, we will win 28 out of all 28 lok Sabha seats. I won’t relent. I will continue to fight. Be it in power or in the Opposition, I’ll continue to fight for the rights of the people of Karnataka,” Yeddyurappa said.
“It is true that I asked MlAs to vote according to their conscience, spoke to some people and gave assurances. But feeling scared, MlAs were taken away. They were not even being allowed to speak to family members. Thanks to the Congress conspiracy, there has been a setback to democracy. I’m resigning and will directly go to the Governor and submit my resignation. We aren’t moving the motion,” he added and left to submit his resignation to Governor Vajubhai R Vala.
The BJP had won 104 seats in the State Assembly elections held on May 12 for 222 out of 224 seats, emerging as the single largest party. The Congress, on the other end, had won 78 seats while the JD(S) had emerged victorious on 37 seats. Two independents also got elected.
Immediately after resigning, Yeddyurappa accompanied by BJP leaders went to the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah termed Yeddyurappa’s resignation without facing the floor test as “a victory of the Constitution of India and rule of law”.
He said, “The BJP not only misused constitutional offices like that of the Governor, but also tried every dirty trick in the book to woo our MlAs by even offering them bribe, which has been exposed with evidence”. “I am very proud that our MlAs did not fall prey to them and did not let communal forces capture power in the State,” he added.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is clearly behind this. It is evident in the statement he gave on the day results were announced. Knowing very well that the BJP had won only 104 seats and had no majority in the House, being a Prime Minister he had said the BJP will form a Government and at any cost will not allow anybody else to form a Government. He is responsible for all the illegal and immoral acts that followed this statement and is strongly condemnable,” he said.
“The BJP led by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, who are like Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels, have only tried to distract people from real issues, which they never discussed, peddled only emotional issues to polarise the people misleading them,” he said.