Kumaraswamy to take oath as Karnataka CM on Wednesday

Bengaluru, May 19 

With the fall of BJP's three-day-old government in Karnataka, H D Kumaraswamy heading the Congress-JD(S) coalition is set to become the chief minister for a second time on May 23.

Governor Vajubhai Vala on Saturday invited Kumaraswamy, who is the leader of Congress-JD(S) joint legislature party, to form the government.

"On the invitation of the Governor I have met him on the basis of the request we had submitted on May 15 for the formation of Congress-JD(S) coalition government...he has invited us to form the government," Kumaraswamy, who is also state JD(S) chief, said.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Vala, he said the Governor has directed him to prove the majority on the floor of the House in 15 days but he would do it much before.

Kumaraswamy said the swearing-in ceremony would take place tentatively between 12 and 1.50 pm at Kanteerava stadium here on Monday.

His meeting with the Governor came hours after B S Yeddyurappa stepped down as Chief Minister without facing the floor test in the assembly as the BJP fell short of numbers.

The post election stitched alliance of JD(S) and Congress, which claims the support of 117 members, has already staked its claim to form the government and said it would be headed by Kumaraswamy.

The third son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had earlier headed the BJP-JD(S) coalition government for 20 months from January 2006.

Kumaraswamy said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BSP chief Mayawati, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao and several other regional leaders would be invited for the swearing-in ceremony.

He thanked UPA chief Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Congress leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot, K C Venugopal, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief Parameshwara and also workers and legislators of both Congress and JD(S) for their support.

Kumaraswamy said modalities relating to government formation and number of ministers, who will be taking oath, would be discussed tonight under the leadership of Ghulam Nabi Azad, and made public tomorrow.

He said the Congress and JD(S) would form a coordination committee on how to run a stable government and have mutual understanding so that it completes its full term.

Asked by when he will prove majority, Kumaraswamy said, "As soon as possible we will call the assembly session to prove majority.... though Governor has given 15 days, we will not require that much time."

Expressing apprehension that the BJP would again indulge in "operation Kamala (poaching on MLAs)", he said "I'm aware of it that they will create problem. JD(S) and Congress leaders will take all precautionary measures for it." He also ruled out any kind of differences among the party cadres on alliance with the Congress. - PTI