PM Modi, Shah misused governor's office to grab power: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had blatantly used the constitutional office of the governor to assume power in Karnataka.

After BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa resigned from the post of the chief minister of Karnataka, Mayawati told ANI, "This is a big blow for them (BJP) and I think what they had been planning all along for 2019 has failed, they will now have to rethink and alter their strategies."

She said that Prime Minister Modi is doing everything to subvert the nation and every institution.

"PM Modi is doing everything to subvert the nation and every institution. What happened, happened because of Amit Shah and PM's conspiracy. They want to grab every institution in the country by misusing the central and government machinery. The governor's office was under huge pressure from Amit Shah and Narendra Modi." she added.

Hours ago, BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa announced his resignation as chief minister ahead of the floor test that was scheduled for his government to prove majority at the state assembly.

The turmoil in Karnataka began when the state governor Vajubhai R. Vala invited the BJP to form the government in the state, despite the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance having a higher number of seats.

Governor Vala had also given 15 days to the Yeddyurappa government to prove the majority in the house.

The Congress then filed a plea in the Supreme Court, which led to a rare midnight hearing by the three-judge bench of Justice A.K. Sikri, justice S.A. Bobde and justice Ashok Bhushan. The court, however, refused to stay the oath-taking ceremony, following which Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the 23rd chief minister of Karnataka on Thursday morning.

In the hearing, which took place on Friday morning, the top court after hearing arguments for and against the petition filed by the Congress and JD(S) decided to conduct a floor test at 4 pm on Saturday.

While the Supreme Court, ahead of the floor test, rejected a petition by the Congress-JD(S) challenging the appointment of K.G. Bopaiah as pro-tem speaker, it directed that the procedure is broadcasted live.