Yeddyurappa’s fate sealed in his letter to Governor: Chidambaram

New Delhi, May 17

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday said the fate of Karnataka’s new Chief Minister BS 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.

The former Union finance and home minister said had he been in Yeddyurappa’s place, 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.

“I salute the Supreme Court. If I were Mr Yeddyurappa, I will not take oath until the hearing at 10.30 am on Friday, 18th May,” Chidambaram said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay Yeddyurappa’s swearing-in as the 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 it at 5.28 am, however, 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 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.

The court will hear matter the matter again on Friday.

Yeddyurappa took oath as chief minister on Thursday morning. PTI