Karnataka would have been a paradise if BJP came to power: B S Yeddyurappa
Bengaluru: After a long speech in the Karnataka Assembly, B S Yeddyurappa has resigned as the Chief Minister of the state on Saturday.
The resignation came minutes before the floor test in the Karnataka Assembly.
In an emotional speech Yeddyurappa said, "If only people would have given us 113 seats instead of 104, we would have made this state a paradise."
He said it was his dream to be Chief Minister at a time Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister.
According to reports, the decision of Yeddyurappa's resignation had been taken by the BJP leadership that did not want any taint of horse-trading on the party ahead of 2019 general elections.
Addressing the Karnataka Assembly ahead of the floor test, Yeddyurappa said, "I will lose nothing if I lose power, my life is for the people. We will get 28 out of 28 seats in Lok Sabha."
On Congress' mandate, Yeddyurappa said, "People have blessed us with 104 seats. However, it was not the same for Congress or JD(S)."
He further said, "I have travelled throughout the state for the last two years and have seen the pain on the faces of people. I can't forget the and affection I received from people."
After ending the speech and announcing his resignation, Yeddyurappa walked out of the assembly.
The BJP had 104 MLAs, 8 short of a simple majority to form government.
The Congress-JD(S)’ post-poll alliance has 116, 78 of the Congress and 38 of the JD(S).
Ever since Karnataka threw up a fractured verdict on May 15, it has been nothing short of drama and intrigue in the state with allegations flying thick that the BJP was trying to poach MLAs from to get to the magic figure of 112.
Much to the indignation of the Congress-JD(S), Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R Vala – a former BJP minister in Gujarat -- had invited B S Yeddyurappa to form the government, a day after the elections. He had given Yeddyurappa a 15-day window to prove majority. This was brutally cut short yesterday after the Supreme Court – on a Congress appeal – ruled that he had to prove majority by 4 pm, Saturday.
The Governor yesterday picked another Yeddyurappa loyalist K G Bopaiah as pro-tem Speaker to oversee trust vote.
The Congress had unsuccessfully moved court against that too, but had to be satisfied with the fact that the trust vote would be live-cast for transparency.
