BENGALURU: Since Karnataka has thrown a hung assembly, the state has been witnessing a major political drama with BS Yeddyurappa resigning as the Chief Minister on Saturday.
BJP leader Yeddyurappa who had sworn in as the CM on Thursday tendered his resignation minutes before the most-awaited floor test to prove the party's majority in the Karnataka Assembly.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ordered a live telecast of the floor test to be conducted at 4 pm in order to maintain transparency.
Here's a chronology of events of the Karnataka political crisis:
- May 12: A single-phase election was held in Karnataka
- May 15: The Election Commission announces the election results. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats while Congress and JDS bagged 78 and 37 seats respectively. Both the BJP and the Congress-JDS combine stake claim to form government
- May 16: Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala invites BJP to form government and asks BS Yeddyurappa to take oath as chief minister the next day. Congress moves Supreme Court late evening against the governor's invitation to the BJP
- May 16-17: Supreme Court opens its doors at midnight for an urgent hearing
- May 17: Hearing begins at 2.11 am and concludes at 5.28 am. SC refuses to stay Yeddyurappa's oath-taking ceremony. Yeddyurappa was sworn in as CM at 9 am
- May 18: SC orders floor test at 4 pm on May 19. Congress-JDS combine late at night move the SC challenging the governor's decision to appoint BJP MLA K G Bopaiah as pro tem speaker to conduct the floor test. SC says it will hear plea on May 19
- May 19: SC orders live telecast of floor test to ensure transparency in the trust vote. At 4 pm: Yeddyurappa says "I will not face confidence vote; I am going to resign"
(With inputs from PTI)
