Defeat of democracy, mockery of Constitution: Rahul Gandhi takes on BJP as Yeddyurappa becomes Karnataka CM

This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy, tweets Rahul Gandhi.

As Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on Thursday morning, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to microblogging site Twitter calling the development “a mockery of our Constitution”. He said that while the BJP celebrates its “hollow victory”, the country would mourn “the death of democracy”.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "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."

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. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 17, 2018

Yeddyurappa took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru as the Supreme Court refused to put a stay on is swearing-in, saying it cannot interfere in a decision taken by a state Governor.

The BJP leader and Lingayat strongman was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala in the presence of top BJP leaders and Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, JP Nadda and Prakash Javadekar.

Earlier, a three-judge bench comprising Justices AK Sikri, SA Bobde and Ashok Bhushan heard the case, argued by Mukul Rohatgi for the BJP and Abhishek Manu Singhvi for the JDS-Congress combine. Though the apex court refused to stop the swearing-in ceremony, it sought letters given by Yeddyurappa to Karnataka Governor showing support for him in the Aseembly.

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.

"This Court is not passing any order staying the oath-taking ceremony of BS Yeddyurappa. In case, he is given the 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".