After eight days of political upheaval in Karnataka, Janata Dal (Secular) Legislature Party leader H.D. Kumaraswamy was sworn in as Chief Minister.
Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Kumaraswamy on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha at 4.30 p.m., in the presence of a galaxy of national leaders who are in the forefront of an effort to form a united non-BJP coalition.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, 58, was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the second time. He was the Chief Minister for 20 months in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government during 2006-07.
The Congress' G. Parameshwara was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister.
Here are the live updates:
Will take a floor test on May 25: Kumaraswamy
Addressing a press conference after being sworn in as Chief Minister, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he would take a floor test on May 25th.
"I have become a child of circumstances. Many have expressed doubts about the stability of this government. But I will reply to them with my behaviour in future. I will take a floor test on May 25," he said.
"The BJP has accused me of immorality. But if we introspect, I don't know who can claim to be moral and whose moves will be immoral," he said.
"I have myself played a role in bringing down a Congress-JD(S) government in 2006. But that is an old story. This will be a stable government. I assure the people that this will be one of the most stable governments in the State and will work towards solving people's problems."
Kumaraswamy, Parameshwara sworn in
Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Parameshwara were sworn in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively.
Present on the stage were Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati.
Heavy rain lashes Bengaluru
Just hours before Mr. Kumaraswamy took as Chief Minister, the skies open up in Bengaluru.
Heavy rains, along with hailstones, lash many parts of the city around 2 p.m., especially areas around the Vidhana Soudha, venue of the swearing-in. The rains take the people, who had started gathering at the venue to witness the ceremony, for a surprise, as the afternoon was bright and sunny.
Crowds gathered at the venue to witness the swearing-in ceremony.
People are seen taking out flex banners and using them to shield themselves from the downpour. Rainwater stagnates in front of the Vidhana Soudha.
Senior police officials, who are monitoring the arrangements for the ceremony, say that they are maintaining a wait-and-watch approach, while rumours began to spread that the venue could be shifted to the Banquet Hall of the Vidhana Soudha.
However, police saiy that if the rains stopped, the swearing-in will be held on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha as scheduled earlier.
BJP observes ‘anti-people’s mandate day’
The Bharatiya Janata Party had decided to observe the swearing-in ceremony of the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government as “anti-people’s mandate day” throughout the State.
The BJP could not get a majority despite emerging as the single largest party in the Assembly elections. Its State president B.S. Yeddyurappa had to step down without taking the floor test as the party could not get MLAs from other parties.
Parameshwara to be Karnataka Deputy CM
G. Parameshwara , 67, the Dalit face of the Congress, is to be sworn in today. He will be the Deputy Chief Minister.
Galaxy of leaders to attend HDK’s swearing-in
The swearing-in ceremony is being seen as the first step towards bringing together parties that are opposed to the BJP.
“I have invited leaders of all political parties, who are divided over having electoral alliance with the Congress and without the Congress. This platform could be interpreted as the first step towards coming together of secular, democratic forces against the BJP. I’m confident that this platform will definitely send a message on anti-BJP forces joining hands across the country,” said former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda at his Padmanabhanagar residence in Bengaluru.
The developments on May 15
JD(S) leader and Karnataka Chief Minister-designate H.D. Kumaraswamy greets Congress president Rahul Gandhi, during a meeting at latter's residence, in New Delhi, on May 21, 2018. Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is also seen.
The speed with which the Congress-Janata Dal(S) alliance came about on the afternoon of May 15 was a matter of much surprise to those who knew the strained relations between the two parties. That the alliance was stitched up, publicly announced and on the road to Raj Bhavan far ahead of the BJP’s move, was the product of three days of intense backroom talks between the two parties.
