K'taka: Yedi to take oath as first BJP CM
Bangalore,
Nov
12:
The
stage
has
been
set
for
the
swearing
in
of
the
first
Bharatiya
Janata
Party
(BJP)
Government
in
south
of
the
Vindhyas,
with
senior
BJP
leader
B
S
Yeddyurappa
all
set
to
take
oath
as
the
25th
Chief
Minister
of
Karnataka,
heading
a
BJP-JD(S)
coalition
government,
on
Nov
12.
Final touches were being given to the Vidhana Soudha, the State Secretariat, where Governor Rameshwar Thakur would administer the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Yeddyurappa.
With the JD(S) failing to select its candidate for the Deputy Chief Minister's post, only Mr Yeddyurappa would take oath tomorrow.
Mr Yeddyurappa had announced that the swearing-in of the Council of Ministers would take place only after he proved his majority on the floor of the Assembly.
The new coalition Government would put an end to more than a month-long suspense over the future Government in the State.
President's rule was imposed in the State after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy resigned on October eight last, following the BJP withdrawing support to the JD(S) as the latter refused to honour its power transfer agreement.
The top brass of the BJP, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani, party President Rajnath Singh, former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, party senior leaders M Venkaiah Naidu and Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, were expected to arrive here tomorrow by a chartered flight to witness the swearing-in ceremony.
The Government formation in Karnataka would be a red letter day in the annals of the party's history, as its efforts to secure a strong foothold in South India had come to a nought so far.
The entire city was painted saffron, with the main streets and circles being decorated with party flags, banners and cut outs of Mr Yeddyurappa. A huge cut out of Mr Yeddyurappa was seen near the Chief Minister's official residence 'Krishna'.
Meanwhile, police have made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order and regulate traffic as more than 350 buses, carrying BJP workers mainly from Shimoga, the home town of Mr Yeddyurappa, Mysore, Hubli, Mangalore and Davanagere were expected to arrive here.
Over 170 traffic police personnel would be deployed near the Vidhana Soudha and the public have been advised to avoid roads leading to the venue.
UNI