BS Yeddyurappa quits as Karnataka CM ahead of floor test, Cong calls it victory of democracy

The southern leader made the announcement ahead of the floor test which was scheduled to take place in the house at 4 pm.

The floor test was necessary after the BJP formed the government in the state despite having 104 seats, less than the majority numbers required. Congress and Janata Dal-S the two opposition parties that formed a post result alliance to keep BJP away from power, cried foul play and attempts of horse-trading by the BJP and had moved the Supreme Court which gave BJP just a day to prove its majority on the floor of the house as against 15 days' time by the Governor.

In an emotional address in the Assembly, Yeddyurappa said: "I am not moving this motion. I will go straight away to Raj Bhavan and submit my resignation."

Jubilations broke out in the Congress and JD-S camps immediately after the resignation of Yeddyurappa. Congress called it a victory of demcoracy and rule of law.

As per the Supreme Court order, the proceedings of the Assembly was telecast live.

Senior BJP MLA K.G. Bopaiah was appointed as the  Pro Tem Speaker to oversee the proceedings inside the Assembly during the floor test on Saturday.

Advantage Congress-JD(S):

Decks have now been cleared for the Congress and the  Janata Dal (Secular)  to form the next government in the state.

The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), which formed a post-poll alliance, were in an advantageous position as their total number of seats are well over the majority mark of 113.

Congress' 78 MLAs are set to support former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's JD(S), which bagged 38 seats, to form the next government.

JD(S) has selected its leader HD Kumaraswamy as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

The Karnataka Governor had triggered a row on Wednesday by inviting BJP's  Chief Ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa to take oath, which eventually occurred a day later despite Congress' attempt to stall it by moving the Supreme Court.

The Congress and the JD(S) had alleged that the BJP would resort to horsetrading to convert 104 into 113. With two seats yet to be polled in the state, reaching 111 would have sufficed for the BJP to win the floor test.

Reactions:

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the entire episode reflected that it was a victory of 'democracy' in the state.

"It was a victory of democracy, constitution and rule of law," Azad told reporters minutes after Yeddyurappa resigned.

Congress also tweeted: "Democracy has finally won the battle against the unholy politics of intimidation, corruption and lies. Congratulations Karnataka! @INCKarnataka #CongressDefeatsBJP."

Congress leader P Chidambaram said democracy in the state has been saved after the Assembly proceedings were telecast live.

"With the proceedings live and every citizen becoming a pro tem Speaker, democracy in Karnataka was saved -- for the time bring," the former Finance Minister tweeted.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also welcomed the proceedings in Karnataka.

She said the latest development in the political scenario in the state was a victory of the 'regional' front.

"Democracy wins. Congratulations Karnataka. Congratulations DeveGowda Ji, Kumaraswamy Ji, Congress and others. Victory of the 'regional' front," Banerjee tweeted.