'As BJP celebrates hollow victory, India will mourn defeat of democracy': Rahul Gandhi on Yeddyurappa taking oath

As Bharatiya Janata Party's BS Yeddyurappa was sworn-in as Karnataka Chief Minister, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday called it a 'defeat of democracy'.

"The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. 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," Gandhi tweeted.

Veteran BJP leader Bookanakere Siddalingappa alias BS Yeddyurappa (75) today was sworn in as the 23rd Karnataka Chief Minister at the lawns of Raj Bhavan. The Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy. This is the third time Yeddyurappa has taken the oath as CM.

Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court refused to stay Yeddyurappa's swearing-in as Karnataka Chief Minister after a rare pre-dawn hearing which saw the Congress-JD (S) combine making a last-ditch attempt to stall the saffron party's surge in the southern state. 

The apex court, which commenced the hearing at 2.11 am and ended at 5.28 am, however 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.

A special bench comprising Justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan directed the Centre to place before it two communications, sent by Yeddyurappa to Governor Vajubhai Vala in which he had staked claim to form the government, saying their perusal was necessary to decide the case.

The top court also issued notices to Karnataka government and Yeddyurappa seeking their replies on the plea filed by Congress-JD(S) combine and posted the matter for hearing on Friday (tomorrow).

"This Court is not passing any order staying the oath taking ceremony of B S Yeddyurappa. In case, he is given oath in the meantime, that shall be subject to further orders of this court and final outcome of the writ petition," the bench said.

While senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Congress-JD (S) combine, persisted with his arguments that the swearing-in ceremony should be stayed or deferred, the bench said, "we are not staying the oath taking ceremony".

Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing three BJP MLAs Govind M Karjol, C M Udasi and Basavaraj Bommai, opposed the arguments to defer or stay the swearing-in ceremony, which was scheduled yesterday for today morning.

"We do not know what transpired in the meeting between the BJP leader (Yeddyurappa) and the Governor. I do not think B S Yeddyurappa is served or represented here. The whole thing is in a grey area and in a realm of speculation," Venugopal said.

Rohatgi also questioned the manner in which the petition was filed in the midnight and said, "Heavens will not fall if somebody is sworn-in. This is not a matter of life or death or as if someone is going to be hanged".

He said that constitutional obligation of the Governor was to invite a party to form a new government and his action could always be judicially reviewed and the court may order for restoration of status-quo ante also as was done in the case of Arunachal Pradesh.

(With PTI Inputs)