Ahead of swearing-in, Cong K'taka calls Yeddy 'corruption icon, former jail bird'

Bengaluru: Ahead of BS Yeddyurappa's swear-in ceremony as the Chief Minister of Karnataka later today, the state wing of Congress has called the BJP leader a "corruption icon" and a "former jail bird."

Yeddyurappa is all set to take oath as the 25th Chief Minister of the state at 6 pm and will have to prove majority in the Assembly by July 31.

"Corruption Icon and Former Jail Bird BS Yeddyurappa has used his excellent Horse Trading skills to subvert democracy and come to power. People of Karnataka remember his disastrous tenure as Chief Minister between 2008-2011, which ended with BSY in Jail. History is all set to repeat again," Karnataka Congress wrote quoting a tweet by BJP's state unit.

"Shri @BSYBJP will take oath as CM of Karnataka today evening at 6 pm," read the tweet by BJP Karnataka.

In another post, the Congress state unit mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and wrote, "Parliamentary democracy is being butchered in Karnataka. How can Yeddyurappa stake claim to form government when they don't have the numbers? How can the Governor who is the safe keeper of the constitution give his consent? Where is the Rule of LAW! @narendramodi @AmitShah!"

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah also took to the micro-blogging site and wrote, "BJP has the strength of 105 which is way less than the half way mark. In no way BJP can form the government if Constitution is followed. This only proves that BJP has no belief in the democratic values."

Besides Congress, its coalition partner JD(S) also slammed Yeddyurappa and said that the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala has taken an "undemocratic decision" as the BJP only has 105 MLAs.

Not paying any heed to the jibes, Yeddyurappa tweeted, "As instructed by our National President Amit Shah and working president of BJP JP Nadda, I have met his Excellency Governor of Karnataka to stake claim to form government. I will take oath as Chief Minister of Karnataka today at 6 pm."

Yeddyurappa met the Governor at Raj Bhavan earlier today and submitted a letter staking claim to form government in the state, three days after the 14-month old Congress-JD (S) coalition government fell after losing the trust vote in the Assembly.

"I submit that I am the Leader of BJP Legislature Party and also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. At present, the strength of the BJP MLA is 105 and the single largest party in the assembly... I may be invited to form alternate government today itself and I will take oath as Chief Minister of Karnataka at Raj Bhavan between 6 pm to 6:15 pm," Yeddyurappa wrote in his letter to the Governor.

Right after the defeat of the Congress-JD(S) government in the trust vote in the Assembly on Tuesday, HD Kumaraswamy proceeded to the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to the Governor.

Vala accepted Kumaraswamy's resignation and asked him to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister till the new government takes over.

The confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy got 99 votes as against 105 of the opposition leading to its defeat.