Yeddyurappa steps down as Karnataka CM

Bengaluru, (Karnataka) [India] May 19 (ANI): The Karnataka government led by B.S. Yeddyurappa resigned before going in for the floor test in the Vidhan Soudha here on Saturday.

Yeddyurappa resigned after he wasn't able to establish his majority.

In his speech inside the Vidhan Soudha, Yeddyurappa said he will fight for the rights of the people of Karnataka till his last breath even if he did not get the mandate.

The floor test was to be conducted on the instructions of the Governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai R. Vala after the Congress-JD (S) alliance also claimed the right to form the government in the state on the basis of the 117 seats it had as compared to the 104 seats that the BJP had.

On Friday, while hearing a petition of the Congress-JD(S) alliance, the Supreme Court reduced the 15-day original time given by Governor Vala to the BJP to prove its majority in the house and asked the party to hold the trust vote on Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Congress-JD(S) alliance welcomed the top court's move, saying the BJP's bluff had been finally called out.

On Saturday, the Supreme Court also rejected the Congress-JD (S) petition to remove K.A. Bopaiah as pro-tem speaker ahead of the floor test and appoint the senior most legislator R.V. Deshmukh in his place.

The apex court instead ordered the videographing of the floor test to ensure transparency of proceedings. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI