After removing security, BJP men entered resort, offered money: Congress MLA

Earlier in the day, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court declined to stay the swearing-in of Yeddyurappa as the Chief Minister. The Congress-JD (S) combine had made a last-ditch attempt to stall the saffron party's surge in the southern state. The apex court, which commenced the hearing at 2.11 AM and ended at 5.28 AM, however made it clear that the swearing-in and the government formation in the state would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it.

Bengaluru: BJP's legislature party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa was sworn-in as the Karnataka Chief Minister here on Thursday hours after the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead in a pre-dawn hearing. Congress MLAs and leaders, including GN Azad, Ashok Gehlot and Siddaramaiah, gathered at Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Vidhan Soudha protesting against it. JDS MLAs also joined them later. Two Congress MLAs are said to be missing. "Congress MLA Anand Singh is in clutches of Modi," said a party leader to ABP News. LIVE UPDATES BELOW: Congress is likely to move its MLAs from Eagleton resort in Karnataka to Kochi in Kerala by tonight, as a precautionary measure against feared 'poaching' of MLAs by BJP. The decision comes after a Congress MLA said that BJP tried to offer money to them by sending men inside the resort. Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy has said that after police security was withdrawn, BJP members came inside and offered them money.

After the police was withdrawn (from outside Eagleton Resort), they (BJP) came inside & offered money. Constantly they have been calling people on phone: Ramalinga Reddy, Congress pic.twitter.com/JuMUd63Zz6

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2018

• Karnataka: Security outside/inside Eagleton Resort has been withdrawn hours after Yeddyurappa takes charge. Now congress local leaders guarding the gate: Sources

Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa withdraws police security from Eagleton resort where Congress has lodged its MLAs.

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 17, 2018

Security outside/inside #Eagleton Resort has been withdrawn hours after #Yeddyurappa takes charge. Now congress local leaders guarding the gate: Sources

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 17, 2018

Karnataka: BS Yeddyurappa Govt transfers 4 IPS officers including ADGP and DIG intelligence. @abpnewstv pic.twitter.com/247JIFWpMk

— Pinky Rajpurohit (@Madrassan) May 17, 2018

• BS Yeddyurappa is going to be the CM for a day, half of which has already gone by: Randeep Surjewala, Congres
• The Governor Vajubhai Vala has destroyed the identity of the Constitution and elated the stature of PM Modi: Randeep Surjewala, Congress
• Bengaluru: Congress MLA Rajshekhar Patil leaves Eagleton Resort, says "I have fever so had to come back at my residence." When asked about how many MLAs are present in the resort, he said "there are 78 MLAs"
• We would be holding a 1-day dharna tomorrow against the murder of democracy in Karnataka. We also request the Bihar Governor to dissolve the state government & like in Karnataka invite the single largest party, which in Bihar is the RJD: Tejashwi Yadav, RJD
• BJP had invited me for talks but I did not go: Karnataka Congress MLA D.H. Hulageri

The Governor exercised his power because he knows Modi? People need answer. This is nothing but gross abuse of power. He is protege of Modi and is working under his instructions. This is dictatorship: Ram Jethmalani, senior advocate to ABP News. LIVE: https://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk pic.twitter.com/75BZqFedfN

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 17, 2018

• All of us saw how PM Modi misused the office of Governor in Tamil Nadu. The same has been done in Karnataka. This is totally against democracy and rule of law. We condemn it: MK Stalin, DMK (ANI)
• Congress likely to move its MLAs to Kerala, depending upon the hearing tomorrow. The LDF govt has assured them security. Whereas JDS MLAs likely to be moved to Hyderabad or Vijayawada. (Sources)

#BSYeddyurappa takes charge as new chief minister of Karnataka. LIVE: https://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk pic.twitter.com/KW55Pcwto1

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 17, 2018

• Will not wait for 15 days to prove the majority. Wait till tomorrow or day after tomorrow...I am 100 percent sure of the success, says Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa on floor test
• The BJP-RSS wants to capture all the constitutional institutions in the country. They want to suppress the voices of women and poor: Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

The BJP is scaring the judges of the Supreme Court. This happens when there's dictatorship. An environment of fear and insecurity is prevailing in the country : Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Watch LIVE: https://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk pic.twitter.com/7alHMAug43

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 17, 2018

• Bengaluru: In a huge setback for the BJP, two independent MLAs who emerged victorious in the elections were seen taking part in Congress-JDS protest outside Vidhan Soudha. Their names are R. Shankar and Nagesh. Congress-JDS' number is 118 now.  Pictures below:

Protesting outside #Karnataka Vidhana Soudha against the swearing-in of B.S. Yeddyurappa as CM #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/keRBhn2Ugy

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) May 17, 2018

• I will request my father (HD Deve Gowda) to take the lead & talk to all regional parties & see how BJP is destroying democratic systems, we have to come together to protect interests of the country: JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy.
• Four MLAs of the Congress have gone 'missing' and are 'incommunicado'. Two of them are said to be close to Reddy brothers of the BJP. They were not present in the Eagleton Resort where other lawmakers were lodged. Also not seen in the bus travelling to Vidhan Soudha where Congress is staging a protest: Sources

Pvt bus carrying Congress MLAs onboard to reach Vidhan Soudha shortly. Congress MLAs along with JDS MLAs to stage dharna at Gandhi Statue in Vidhan Soudha premises against Yeddyurappa's swearing-in. @abpnewstv #KarnatakaCMRace pic.twitter.com/P4uflHPmbg

— Pinky Rajpurohit (@Madrassan) May 17, 2018

Bengaluru: Congress holds protest at Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Vidhan Soudha, against BS Yeddyurappa's swearing in as CM of #Karnataka. GN Azad, Ashok Gehlot, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal and Siddaramaiah present. pic.twitter.com/16BYIQfJ9D

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2018

• Rahul Gandhi rued the fact that the Congress and the JDS despite having clear numbers were not allowed to form the government in Karnataka. Expressing his disappointment on Twitter and attacking the BJP, he said the "BJP has made a mockery of our Constitution." He tweeted that India will mourn the defeat of democracy.

"The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn’t have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution. This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy," Gandhi tweeted.

The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn’t have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution.

This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 17, 2018

Bengaluru: BS Yeddyurappa leaves for Raj Bhavan, to take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister shortly. pic.twitter.com/gfX5kXi698

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2018

In a swiftly organised ceremony, BJP's legislature party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa was sworn-in as the Karnataka Chief Minister in Bengaluru today hours after the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead in a pre-dawn hearing. Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office to Yeddyurappa at 9 a.m. in the 'Glass House' of Raj Bhavan amid tight security. Yeddyurappa, 75, took the oath in Kannada in the presence central and state leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and newly-elected legislators and senior officials.

BS Yeddyurappa takes oath as the 23rd CM of Karnataka. Visuals from Raj Bhawan. Watch LIVE: https://t.co/JQJlKZeiOk pic.twitter.com/UgFactnTpi

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 17, 2018

Earlier in the day, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court declined to stay the swearing-in of Yeddyurappa as the Chief Minister. The Congress-JD (S) combine had made a last-ditch attempt to stall the saffron party's surge in the southern state. The apex court, which commenced the hearing at 2.11 AM and ended at 5.28 AM, however made it clear that the swearing-in and the government formation in the state would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it. The top court also issued notices to Karnataka government and Yeddyurappa seeking their replies on the plea filed by Congress-JD (S) combine and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow. (With agency inputs)