Yeddyurappa fate sealed in letter to governor: P Chidambaram

New Delhi: As the hearing in the Supreme Court is slated to resume on Friday, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said the fate of Karnataka’s new chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is sealed in his letter given to governor Vajubhai Vala as it makes no mention of a number bigger than the 104 MLAs of the BJP. His comment came after the Supreme Court said government formation in the state would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it. “Mr Yedyurappa’s letter to the governor will seal his fate. There is no mention of a number bigger than 104. The Governor’s invitation does not mention any number at all!,” he tweeted.

Mr Chidambaram further added that had he been in place of Mr. Yedyurappa he would not have taken the oath till the apex court took a decision on the petition filed by the Congress-JD(S) combine challenging the governor’s decision to invite him to take oath. The petition said the Congress-JD (S) combine has the majority in the House with 117 MLAs while the BJP has only 104 seats which was below the majority mark of 112 at present. In a rare midnight hearing, the Supreme Court refused to stay Mr Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in. The Congress and JD(S) had sought an immediate hearing claiming that the numbers were with their post poll alliance. The apex court made it clear that the swearing-in and government formation in the state would be subject to the final outcome of the case before it.

The Congress has also criticised the role of the Karnataka governor.