Governor invites Yeddyurappa to form government, take oath on Thursday

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Wednesday invited BJP's legislature party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa to form the government and take oath as the Chief Minister of the state on Thursday.

"I invite you to form the government and be sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka," said Vala in a letter to Yeddyurappa, released by the party's state unit here.

Party's spokesman Vamanacharya told IANS that Yeddyurappa would take oath on Thursday at 9.00 a.m in the "Glass House" at Raj Bhavan in the city centre amid tight security.

"Only Yeddyurappa will take oath and form the cabinet after proving majority within 15 days, as directed by the Governor," said Vamanacharya.

Vala's invitation was in response to Yeddyurappa's letter earlier in the day, in which he informed the former that he was elected as the BJP legislature party leader in the southern state.

"I may also direct you to seek a vote of confidence on the floor of the House showing that you command the confidence of the House within 15 days from the date of the assumption of office as the Chief Minister of the state," said Vala in the letter.

The Governor has invited party's leaders and its newly-elected legislators to the swearing-in ceremony.

Yeddyurappa, 75, was elected for the 8th time from the Shikaripura assembly segment in Shivamogga district of Malnad region on May 12 when polling was held in 222 constituencies across the state. Results were declared on Tuesday.

Although the BJP emerged as the single-largest party winning 104 seats, it fell short of 8 seats from the 112-halfway mark in the lower House, in which the Congress trailed behind with 78 wins and the regional outfit Janata Dal-S (JD-S) 37 seats.

This is second time Yeddyurappa takes oath as the state's Chief Minister, a decade after he became the BJP's first Chief Minister in south India in May 2008 when the party came to power first time in Karnataka.

The dominant Lingayat leader, however, was forced to resign three years later in July 2011 by the party's high command after the state's anti-graft watchdog (Lokayukta)'s investigation report named him in the multi-crore mining scam that rocked the state for over a decade from 2001-2010.

--IANS

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