The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a floor test, which was scheduled to take place at 4 pm on Saturday to determine whether the day-old BS Yeddyurappa government has the support of the requisite number of MLAs to retain its power in Karnataka.
Amidst this high-octane political drama, Yeddyurappa has resigned as the Karnataka chief minister ahead of the scheduled floor test at Karnataka Vidhan Soudha on Saturday.
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. Yeddyurappa government was directed to take a trust vote and prove its majority to survive in the state.
The decision was taken hours after the Congress-JD-S combine moved the apex court challenging governor Vajhubhai Vala's controversial invitation to BS Yeddyurappa to form the government in Karnataka.
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.
Ahead of the trust vote, the newly elected JD-S and Congress MLAs from Karnataka, who had been camping in Hyderabad to avoid any poaching bids by the BJP, arrived in Bengaluru to attend the crucial floor test in Karnataka Assembly on Saturday.
Here are the LIVE updates on BS Yeddyurappa government's floor test:
# 07:55 PM: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu & Telangana CM KC Rao congratulated me. Mayawati ji has also blessed me. I have invited all regional leaders for oath ceremony. I've also invited Sonia Gandhi ji & Rahul Gandhi ji personally: HD Kumaraswamy
# 07:50 PM: Governor has invited me to form government. Oath ceremony (as Chief Minister) to be held on Monday between 12 noon-1 pm: HD Kumaraswamy after meeting Governor
# 06:45 PM: Just like what happened in Karnataka, if BJP govt has any shame then they should forthwith resign from Goa and also from the other states from where they have stolen the majority: Yatish Naik, Goa Congress spokesperson
# 06:35 PM: Congress does not respect institutions & this statement is just an evidence of that. Is this how they show respect towards the post of the Governor?: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sanjay Nirupam's statement about Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala
# 06:30 PM: Rahul Gandhi's claims that Congress defeated BJP is laughable. For them (Congress) EVM is good when they win but the point is that they are not winning anywhere. So for them, the EVM is bad: Prakash Javadekar, BJP
#WATCH:Congress workers celebrate in Delhi after BS Yeddyurappa resigned as Karnataka CM ahead of #FloorTest pic.twitter.com/4hzop2GR8W
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 05:50 PM: Everyone will be happy about it. PM & BJP Pres tried to deride democracy. What message did they give by encouraging the corrupt? BJP brought back Janardhan Reddy to the forefront and did politics: AP CM Chandrababu Naidu on BS Yeddyurappa's resignation as Karnataka CM
Bengaluru: BJP's BS Yeddyurappa submits resignation as Chief Minister of Karnataka to Governor Vajubhai Vala. pic.twitter.com/88dbTelz3l
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 04:59: You've seen openly how the PM directly authorized purchasing of MLAs in Karnataka, so the idea that PM spreads in the country that he is fighting corruption, is a blatant lie, he is corruption: Rahul Gandhi at the press conference.
# 04:55 PM: I would like to congratulate the people because we need to tell them that there are limits to your arrogance. There are limits to how you can run this country, Gandhi said.
# 04:50 PM: I am proud that opposition stood together & defeated the BJP and we will continue to do so: Rahul Gandhi after BS Yeddyurappa's resignation as Karnataka CM.
# 04:53 PM: Did you notice that after the entire exercise in Karnataka Vidhan Sabha, the BJP legislators and speaker chose to leave the house before the national anthem? It shows they can disrespect any institution if in power, both BJP and RSS have disrespected institutions: Rahul Gandhi
# 04:48 PM: When will governor Vajubhai Vala resign, asks Patidar leader Hardik Patel
# 04:47 PM: Congress president Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference after BJP's BS Yeddyurappa's resignation as Karnataka chief minister.
LIVE: Press Conference by Congress President Shri @RahulGandhi. https://t.co/Enazt97SsT
— Congress Live (@INCIndiaLive) May 19, 2018
# 04:44 PM: Congress workers celebrate in #Dehradun after BJP's BS Yeddyurappa stepped down as Chief Minister of Karnataka
# 04:42 PM: We would like to congratulate the MLAs of Congress, JD(S), independent as well as BSP who resisted all sorts of temptations & arm twisting by Central govt. They stood by the party principles & decision taken by the party leadership: Ghulam Nabi Azad.
# 04:44 PM: Historic day in the history of Indian politics, says former chief minister Siddaramaiah.
# 04:41 PM: "Hall of Shame," Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad said in a tweet.
# 04:40 PM: Poor Mr Yeddyurappa. When the puppeteers fail, the puppet falls and breaks: P Chidambaram tweeted.
# 04:34 PM: We are waiting for the invitation from the Governor's House: JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy on being asked when he will take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister.
We are waiting for invitation from the Governor's House: JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy on being asked when he will take oath as Chief Minister #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/Uol7BK46lg
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 04:30 PM: 'Democracy has been saved, says Dinesh Gundu Rao, Congress.
# 04:25 PM: Congress president Rahul Gandhi to address media at 4.30 pm; BJP's presser scheduled at 6.00 pm
# 04:22 PM: Right now news has come that BS Yeddyurappa has resigned as Karnataka's CM, are all of you happy? All those who believe in democracy are happy: Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu.
Right now news has come that BS Yeddyurappa has resigned as Karnataka's CM, are all of you happy? All those who believe in democracy are happy: Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/JVFuGK7yJ1
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 04:18 PM: BJP's BS Yeddyurappa reaches Raj Bhavan after resigning as Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Bengaluru: BJP's BS Yeddyurappa reaches Raj Bhavan after resigning as Chief Minister of Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/CkmQokODy3
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 04:12 PM: Congress's DK Shivkumar, JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy and other MLAs celebrate at Vidhana Soudha after the resignation of BJP's BS Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister of Karnataka.
# 04:05 PM: Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa resigns ahead of the floor test.
Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa resigns ahead of #FloorTest. pic.twitter.com/dea9HMotx6
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 04:03 PM: I will lose nothing if I lose power, my life is for the people: CM BS Yeddyurappa.
# 04:02 PM: We will get 28 out of 28 seats in Lok Sabha: CM BS Yeddyurappa ahead of Floor Test.
# 04:01 PM: If only people would have given us 113 seats instead of 104, we would have made this state a paradise: CM BS Yeddyurappa ahead of Karnataka Floor Test.
# 03:56 PM: My only aim to stake claim to form govt was to respect people's mandate, serve farmers and Dalits: Yeddyurappa at Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru.
# 03:52 PM: I have travelled throughout the state for the last two years and have seen the pain on the faces of people. I can't forget the love & affection I received from people: CM BS Yeddyurappa.
I have traveled throughout the state for the last two years and have seen pain on the faces of people. I can't forget the love & affection I received from people: CM BS Yeddyurappa ahead of #FloorTest pic.twitter.com/WaqC786K84
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 03:50 PM: People have blessed us with 104 seats. The mandate wasn't for Congress or JD(S): CM BS Yeddyurappa ahead of the floor test.
# 03:42 PM: Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratap Gowda Patil, who were said to be missing, take oath as an MLA in Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha.
Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratap Gowda Patil, who were said to be missing, take oath as an MLA in Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha. #FloorTest to be held at 4 pm. pic.twitter.com/JCMmH4XqJk
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 03:37 PM: Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge with BJP leaders Ananth Kumar and Shobha Karandlaje in Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha.
# 03:36 PM: Congress MLA Anand Singh who was said to be missing, sits with Congress's DK Shivakumar in the assembly.
# 03:35 PM: Floor test to begin shortly at Vidhan Soudha in Karnataka.
#WATCH Live from inside Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha #FloorTest https://t.co/wIRD9ejeZB
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 03:27 PM: I was with my brother in Taj West End. Nobody was in my contact. I don't even know who are they, Anand Singh and Pratap Gowda Patil. I did not even go to Goldfinch Hotel: Somashekara Reddy, BJP MLA and brother of Janardan Reddy.
# 03:20 PM: Wait and see. In politics, every decision is wonderful and happy: BJP's Shobha Karandlaje on Karnataka Floor Test, which will be conducted shortly.
# 03:14 PM: When missing Congress MLA Pratap Gowda Patil entered Vidhan Soudha.
#WATCH: Dramatic visuals of the moment when Congress MLA Pratap Gowda Patil who was said to be missing, entered Vidhana Soudha. #KarnatakaFloorTest pic.twitter.com/XINBGZvped
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 03:02 PM: Union Minister Ananth Kumar and CM BS Yeddyurappa are present in the CM chamber in Vidhana Soudha
# 02:54 PM: Congress MLA Pratap Gowda Patil having lunch at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, Congress's DK Suresh and Dinesh Gundu Rao present with him.
Bengaluru: Congress MLA Pratap Gowda Patil having lunch at Vidhana Soudha, Congress's DK Suresh and Dinesh Gundu Rao present with him. pic.twitter.com/dZwx9zFhKa
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 02:48 PM: Bengaluru: Missing Congress MLA Pratap Gowda Patil is seen leaving from Goldfinch Hotel for Vidhana Soudha,
# 02:38 PM: Pratap Gowda Patil has come. He will take oath as an MLA then he will vote for the Congress. He will not betray party: DK Shivakumar.
# 02:36 PM: I am sure he will resign before the trust vote: DK Shivakumar, Congress on CM BS Yeddyurappa.
I am sure he will resign before the trust vote: DK Shivakumar, Congress on CM BS Yeddyurappa #KarnatakaFloorTest pic.twitter.com/DpvCVKtUCS
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 02:30 PM: Yeddyurappa may resign as Karnataka CM if fails to prove majority in Karnataka Assembly: reports.
# 02:15 PM: Dharmendra Pradhan, Prakash Javadekar attended an emergency meeting chaired by BS Yeddyurappa.
# 02:05 PM: Kumaraswamy of the JD-S, who contested from two seats, resigns from Ramanagara and keeps Channapatna.
# 02:00 PM: Congress releases audio clip showing CM BS Yeddyurappa trying to influence Hirekerur legislator BC Patil.
# 01:56 PM: One of the 'missing' Congress MLAs Anand Singh seen leaving Bengaluru's Goldfinch hotel much ahead of the Karnataka floor test.
# 01:27 PM: Security tightened outside Goldfinch Hotel in Bengaluru where the two 'missing' Congress MLAs are reportedly holed up.
Security tightened outside Goldfinch Hotel in Bengaluru where reportedly the two 'missing' Congress MLAs are holed up #karnatakafloortest pic.twitter.com/sEJFPvwAlS
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 12:57 PM: BJP MLA G Somashekhar Reddy is with the two 'missing' Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratap Gouda.
BJP MLA G Somashekhar Reddy is with the two 'missing' Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratap Gouda: Sources #KarnatakaFloorTest
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 12:56 PM: BJP's BY Vijayendra called the wife of a Congress MLA and asked her to request to her husband to vote for Yeddyurappa. He said, we'll give your husband a ministry or else we'll give Rs 15 crore to your husband: VS Ugrappa, Congress.
# 12:30 PM: BJP will be exposed to the whole world. They know very well that they are 104, still, they are trying everything and anything to buy our MLAs. But, our MLAs are intact. Two of our MLAs are still not here, whenever they come they will surely support us: Veerapa Moily, Congress
# 12:00 PM: JD(S) MLAs HD Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna at Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru.
# 11:46 AM: After winning assembly elections, B Sriramulu & BS Yeddyurappa have resigned from Lok Sabha, their resignations have been accepted by the Speaker.
After winning assembly elections, B Sriramulu & BS Yeddyurappa have resigned from Lok Sabha, their resignations have been accepted by the Speaker. (file pics) #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/085VcK6jwv
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 11:39 AM: Two Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratap Gowda Patil have not yet come to the assembly for oath-taking.
# 11:13 AM: CM BS Yeddyurappa and Siddaramaiah take oath as MLAs at Vidhana Soudha.
# 11:08 AM: Pro tem speaker KG Bopaiah takes oath at Vidhan Soudha. Floor Test to be held at 4 pm today.
#Karnataka pro tem speaker KG Bopaiah at Vidhan Soudha. #FloorTest to be held at 4 pm today. pic.twitter.com/IKqVR750Ez
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 11:05 AM:
#WATCH: CM BS Yeddyurappa Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar & BJP's B Sriramulu inside Vidhana Soudha. #FloorTest to be held at 4 pm today. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/Knm70mlEWA
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 10:59 AM: CM BS Yeddyurappa Siddaramaiah and BJP's B Sriramulu inside Vidhan Sabha.
# 10:51 AM:
Bengaluru: Inside visuals of Vidhana Soudha. #FloorTest to be held at 4 pm today. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/Eegmv3DCng
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 10:39 AM: Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa & other MLAs of BJP arrive at Vidhana Soudha.
Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa & other MLAs of BJP arrive at Vidhana Soudha. #KarnatakaFloorTest pic.twitter.com/PZLADMZCVe
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 10:22 AM: For me, today is not an important day, the important days will come in future. Up to 4 pm, BJP will try to poach our MLAs. All the MLAs are together, no one is going to go to the other side. None of our MLAs are trapped. Me and Siddaramaiah will go together: HD Kumaraswamy, JD(S)
# 10:20 AM: Bengaluru | Congress MLAs leave from Hotel Hilton for Vidhana Soudha.
# 10:08 AM: Bus carrying BJP MLAs arrives at Shangri-La hotel in Bengaluru for the party legislature meeting. They will then be taken to the Assembly
# 09:57 AM: Siddaramaiah arrived at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru ahead of the floor test in Bengaluru.
Siddaramaiah arrived at Vidhana Soudha in #Bengaluru. #FloorTest to be held at 4 pm today. #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/t8SLfSpWd2
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 09:31 AM: Delhi | Congress lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi leaves for the Supreme Court for hearing in the plea filed by Congress-JD(S) regarding the appointment of pro tem speaker KG Bopaiah today
# 09:30 AM: Physically he is not with us but he is in contact with our leaders. He has to come to Vidhana Soudha today. He will definitely vote for us. He is with us. He will come back: Ramalinga Reddy on Congress MLA Anand Singh
# 09:00 AM: KG Bopaiah, the pro-tem speaker, reaches Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
Visuals of KG Bopaiah, the pro-tem speaker, at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. #FloorTest to be held at 4 pm today. #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/mruC7F7FZg
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 08:56 AM: Security tightened outside Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Floor test to be held at 4 pm today.
Visuals of security outside Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. #FloorTest to be held at 4 pm today. #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/sfA8STkMt7
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 08:51 AM: Bengaluru: CM BS Yeddyurappa arrives at Shangri-La hotel for the party legislature meeting. He will then leave for the Assembly with others.
Bengaluru: CM BS Yeddyurappa arrives at Shangri-La hotel for the party legislature meeting. He will then leave for the Assembly with others. #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/h3covbXLkH
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 08:50 AM: JD(S) MLAs arrived at Le Meridien hotel in Bengaluru much ahead of floor test in Karnataka Assembly
# 08:41 AM: Wait till 4.30 pm. We will win and BS Yeddyurappa will be the CM for 5 years: Sadananda Gowda, BJP on floor test
# 08:35 AM: Both Congress and JD(S) have an unholy alliance. They are going to be rejected, people are going to reject them: Union Minister Ananth Kumar
# 08:30 AM: Numbers are against BJP. Numbers are in favour of us. MLAs are in our favour. We will form the govt: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress on floor test
Numbers are against BJP. Numbers are in favor of us. MLAs are in our favour. We will form the govt: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress on #FloorTest in the Karnataka Assembly today #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/rASaQJnwrq
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 08:23 AM: BJP doesn't have the numbers, we will win the floor test. BJP is just trying to prove their majority & they will fail to do so: Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on floor test in Karnataka Assembly today.
# 08:00 AM: Bengaluru: DGP Neelmani N Raju leaves the residence of CM BS Yeddyurappa. The CM held a meeting with her.
# 07:25 AM: CM BS Yeddyurappa to leave for Shangri-La hotel at 9 am for the party legislature meeting, He will then leave for the Assembly with others.
CM BS Yeddyurappa to leave for Shangri-La hotel at 9 am for the party legislature meeting, He will then leave for the Assembly with others. (file pic) #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/Bum21suFV2
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2018
# 07:20 AM: Congress MLAs have reached Hotel Hilton in Bengaluru.
# 07:16 AM: Supreme Court to hear Congress's plea regarding the appointment of pro tem speaker KG Bopaiah today at 10:30 am.
# 07:15 AM: Floor test to be held today at 4 pm in Karnataka Assembly.
# 07:10 AM: Bus carrying Congress MLAs arrives in Bengaluru ahead of floor test in Karnataka assembly later on Saturday.