Bengaluru: The Congress today termed BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa’s oath as chief minister of Karnataka “farcical”. It said the party’s “irrational insistence” on forming government in the southern state when it does not have the numbers made a mockery of the Constitution.
While Congress president Rahul Gandhi said India mourns the defeat of democracy, the party’s communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala described the events in Karnataka as a “black spot” on the country’s democracy that will be erased.
The comments came after BJP legislature party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka for a second time today, after an overnight legal battle in the Supreme Court which refused to stay his swearing-in.
“The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a government in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn’t have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution. This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy,” Rahul said on Twitter.
He echoed the theme later in the day while addressing a gathering at the ‘Jan Swaraj Sammelan’ on the occasion of the silver jubilee of 73rd and 74th amendment in the Constitution in Raipur and accused the BJP and the RSS of capturing every democratic institution in country.
Referring to the press conference called earlier by Supreme Court judges on various issues relating to the apex court judiciary, Rahul said, “The judiciary is under fear, the press is under fear and even the BJP’s Members of Parliament are under the same fear as they cannot speak a single word before the prime minister (Narendra Modi).”
According to Rahul, the Constitution is under severe attack in the country with MLAs are on one side and the governor on the other.
The apex court, which commenced the unusual hearing at 2.11 am and ended at 5.28 am, has made it clear that the swearing-in and the government formation in the state would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it.
The bench, comprising Justices A.K. Sikri, S.A. Bobde and Ashok Bhushan, posted the matter for further hearing tomorrow morning (May 18) and ordered placing before it the letter of support from MLAs presented by the BJP to Karnataka governor Vala while staking claim to form the government.
Yeddyurappa has 15 days to prove his majority in the Assembly.
The BJP has 104 MLAs in the House, eight short of the magic figure of 112. The Congress and the JD(S), which have announced a post-poll tie-up, have won 78 and 37 seats respectively.