Karnataka govt formation sc tells bjp to face floor test tomorrow

Karnataka govt formation- SC tells BJP to face floor test tomorrow While the Supreme Court resumed its hearing over the Karnataka government formation, the Congress observed 'Save Democracy Day' across the country. Catch all the updates here

The Supreme Court on Friday held a hearing in the Karnataka government formation matter, directing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and the state's new chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa, must conduct the floor test on Saturday at 4 pm. The hearing came after the apex court issued notices to the Karnataka government and BJP's Yeddyurappa seeking their replies on the plea filed by the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) combine, which has opposed Yeddyurappa's swearing-in and termed Governor Vajubhai Vala's decision to invite the BJP to form the government as "unconstitutional".

Meanwhile, the Congress, for its part, observed 'Save Democracy Day' today across the country.

On Thursday, Governor Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to Yeddyurappa at the Raj Bhavan in a morning ceremony. Vala has told Yeddyurappa to prove within 15 days that he has the majority in the Legislative Assembly. Although the BJP emerged as the single-largest party, winning 104 seats, in the May 12 assembly election, it fell short of eight seats from the 112-halfway mark in the lower House. The Congress trailed behind the saffron party with 78 seats and the regional JD(S) with 37 seats.At a special pre-dawn hearing, a three-judge Bench of the apex court had rejected a joint writ petition, filed by the Congress and the JD(S) on Wednesday night, to halt the swearingin of Yeddyurappa as Karnataka chief minister. However, the top court said Yeddyurappa's swearing-in was subject to the final outcome of the matter before it.

Here are the top ten developments in around the BJP versus Congress-JD(S) tussle over government formation in Karnataka: 1) SC says BJP's Yeddyurappa can take floor test tomorrow: The crucial hearing on the Congress-JD(S) petition challenging the Karnataka Governor's invitation to the BJP to form the government in the state began in the Supreme Court on Friday. The Supreme Court on Friday directed for a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly at 4 pm tomorrow.

2) Congress-JD(S) ready for floor test tomorrow: During Friday's hearing, Congress' lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted to the Supreme Court that the Congress-JD(S) combine was ready for a floor test on Saturday.

3) Congress, JD(S) MLAs shifted to Hyderabad: Karnataka Congress MLAs on Friday arrived at Hyderabad's Taj Krishna Hotel, with the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee head Uttam Kumar Reddy also present at the scene, news agency ANI reported.

4) Congress observing 'Save Democracy Day' today: The Congress on Friday will observe 'Save Democracy Day' across the country in protest against Karnataka Governor Vala's decision to "illegally" invite BJP's Yeddyurappa to form the government in the state.

5) BJP wooing Congress, JD(S) MLAs as SC sword hangs over its head: The BJP, for its part, is alert to the possibility that the Supreme Court could ask it to prove its majority on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly before schedule. With this in mind, the BJP on Thursday made efforts to woo Congress and JD(S) MLAs. 6) BJP also preparing itself for future if it loses floor test: The BJP, as reported earlier by Business Standard, has also prepared for the eventuality of losing the floor test.

Therefore, with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the first decision of newlyappointed Chief Minister Yeddyurappa was to reach out to the farmers of Karnataka. He has announced that all farm loans of up to Rs 100,000 would be written off.

7) Kumaraswamy not bothered by SC ruling, says ready to show strength on Assembly floor: Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy, the kingmaker who was a hair's breadth away from being king, on Thursday said his party MLAs, along with those from the Congress, will "stay united at (the) same place" in order to prevent "horse-trading" ahead of the trust vote in the Karnataka Assembly.

8) H D Deve Gowda, Rahul discuss Karnataka issue: JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda on Thursday had a telephonic conversation with Congress president Rahul Gandhi to discuss the current political situation in Karnataka. Last night, former prime minister Gowda visited the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh.

9) Rahul Gandhi likens situation in India to a dictatorship or Pakistan: Against the backdrop of the developments in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that the Constitution is under "severe attack", adding that the judiciary and the press were facing a situation more likely to be seen in Pakistan, or under a dictatorship, or some African countries ruled by generals.

10) Congress seeks Karnataka Governor's recall: The Congress referred to a 2011 tweet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the recall of the then Karnataka Governor and said, "We agree".

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