SC order vindicates Congress' stand: Rahul

The Congress on Friday hailed the Supreme Court order for a floor test in the new Karnataka Assembly on Saturday, with party President Rahul Gandhi saying that it vindicated the party's stand that Governor Vajubhai Vala acted "unconstitutionally".

"The Supreme Court order vindicates our stand that the Governor acted unconstitutionally. The BJP's bluff that it will form the government, even without the numbers, has been called by the court.

"Stopped legally, they (BJP) will now try (to use) money and muscle to steal the mandate," Gandhi tweeted.

Earlier, the Supreme Court ordered a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly at 4 p.m. on Saturday

The apex court decision came a day after B.S. Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state.

In Bengaluru, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also hailed the Supreme Court directive.

"The Supreme Court has saved democracy by advancing the floor test to Saturday from 15 days the Governor gave Yeddyurappa to prove that the BJP has the majority for its government to continue," Azad said.

Slamming Vala for inviting the BJP -- the single-largest party after the Assembly elections -- to form the government, Azad said it was surprising that the Congress and the Janana Dal-Secular (JD-S), which together have the support of 117 legislators, were not invited.

In the May 12 Assembly election in 222 constituencies, the BJP won 104 seats, the Congress 78 and the JD-S 37, with the latter two forming a post-poll alliance.

"Two independents had also supported the alliance. Never in the history has any Governor given two weeks to a government to prove majority," Azad said.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also attacked the Governor for his "unconstitutional" decision.

"The Governor asking the BJP -- which has only 104 seats -- to form the government shows that he colluded with the party and its leaders," Siddaramaiah said.

--IANS

aks/tsb/mr