Karnataka swearing-in: Yeddy's grim prediction for Kumaraswamy; top updates

Karnataka Chief Minister-designate H D Kumaraswamy's swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru on Wednesday will be used by Opposition parties for a "show of strength" against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Several prominent Opposition leaders and chief ministers, including Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, confirmed that they would attend the swearing-in of the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) leader. Meanwhile, BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said that "hunger, greed and power" were the basis of the JD(S)-Congress alliance, adding that such an alliance would "not even last three months".

United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, among others, are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

While the Congress-JD(S) combine has a reason to cheer, a defiant BJP state unit will protest across Karnataka on Wednesday against the formation of the coalition government. The BJP is observing the occasion as the 'anti-people's mandate day' across the state.

Karnataka: CM B S Yeddyurappa announces farm loan waiver; latest updates

Katnataka Assembly Election Results 2018 - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B S Yeddyurappa took oath as the 23rd chief minister of Karnataka on Thursday after the Supreme Court, in a post-midnight hearing, decided not to put a stay on the swearing-in.

Top BJP leaders, including Union Ministers JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan and Prakash Javadekar were present at Raj Bhavan in Karnataka during the swearing-in ceremony.

Earlier, while hearing a plea filed by Congress, the Supreme Court refused to stall the swearing-in of Yeddyurappa.
The court, however, made it clear that the swearing-in and the government formation would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it.

The top court sought the letters which Yeddyurappa had written to Karnataka Governor informing him his election as BJP legislature party and posted the matter for further hearing at 10.30 am on Friday.

In a midnight legal push, the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) had approached the Supreme Court seeking an immediate intervention by the chief justice to stay the move, which it termed as an "encounter of the Constitution".

Karnataka govt formation: Congress-JD(S) claim support of 118 MLAs, updates

Karnataka govt formation - Union minister Prakash Javadekar today rubbished JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy's charge that the BJP was offering Rs 1 billion to wean away his party MLAs in its bid to form a government in Karnataka, saying it is "imaginary". "Rs 100 crore, Rs 200 crore figures are imaginary. The BJP is not doing anything. This is the kind of politics the JD(S) and Congress play," he said. The union minister also accused the Congress and JD(S) of having come together by "unholy means."

Javadekar, who is in the state as the BJP makes an aggressive bid to come to the power after the poll results threw up a hung assembly, said his party was not in the practice of horsetrading and exuded confidence it will form the next government. "We are not in the habit of horsetrading of any kind and therefore we are going by the rule book, and we are forming the government. "That is our confidence. We have already met the Governor (Vajubhai Vala) and submitted our plea and we are very sure to form the government, a very stable government," he added.

The Karnataka Assembly election results threw up an unexpected suspense today, as a simple majority tantalisingly eluded BJP and the Congress quickly proclaimed support to third-placed JD(S) to keep the saffron party out of power. As the results of the poll in the state have left Karnataka Assembly in hung, the final decision will be taken by Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala.