Karnataka: BJP government collapses as Yeddyurappa resigns as CM without facing trust vote

After days of intense political hustling along with the judiciary by the Congress-Janata Dal-Secular combine and the BJP over the government formation in Karnataka, the newly sworn-in Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa resigned on Saturday without facing the floor test scheduled at 4pm on Saturday.

"I am going to resign as chief minister....I will go to Raj Bhavan and submit my resignation," Yeddyurappa said two days after donning the mantle of the state chief minister.

"I will not face confidence vote....I am going to resign," he told the Assembly after a brief emotional speech in the floor of the house that he would now "go to the people".

Yeddyurappa's resignation now paves the way for formation of a government led by JD(S) state chief HD Kumaraswamy, who is backed by the Congress. The newly formed alliance has claimed support of 117 MLAs in the 223-member House with an strength of 221.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today moved the motion seeking a vote of confidence of the Karnataka Assembly in his government.

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly at 4 PM on Saturday, drastically slashing the 15-day window given by Governor Vajubhai Vala to BJP Chief Minister Yeddyurappa to prove his majority.

"Let the House decide and the best course would be floor test," a three-judge bench headed by Justice A K Sikri said, while noting that ultimately the question was about a majority which has to be proved on the floor of the House.

The BJP was eight seats short of the majority mark (112) while the Congress-JD-S coalition claimed to have the support of 116 members in the Karnataka Assembly.

The apex court decision was taken hours after the Congress-JD-S combine moved the SC, challenging Governor Vajhubhai Vala's controversial invitation to BS Yeddyurappa to form the BJP government in the state. The Congress-JD-S alliance termed Karnataka governor's invite to Yeddyurappa 'an encounter of the constitution'.

Yeddyurappa's swearing-in ceremony took place after a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court refused to stay Vala's invitation to Yeddyurappa in a pre-dawn hearing on Thursday.