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Karnataka government formation LIVE updates: “I am of firm belief that Election Commission has taken a serious note of VVPAT machines found abandoned in a shed near Managuli village in Vijayapur district. It indicates grave irregularities in the conduct of assembly polls in Karnataka,” BS Yeddyurappa reportedly said in a letter to the chief election commissioner. Ahead of his swearing-in as the Karnataka’s new chief minister, JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy on Monday night met Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to finalise the modalities of government formation and ministerial berth sharing between the two post-poll allies. Congress has mooted two deputy chief ministers for the numerically strong party in order to strike a balance with the JD(S) but the regional party is believed to be not in favour of this proposal. KPCC chief G Parameshwara is among the frontrunners for the deputy chief minister’s post. Kumaraswamy, who will be sworn in as chief minister on Wednesday for the second time in 12 years, flew into the capital this afternoon and began his engagements with a meeting with pre-poll ally BSP chief Mayawati. BSP bagged 1 seat. During his 20-minute meeting with Sonia and Rahul, the Congress president, Kumaraswamy is understood to have discussed the nitty-gritty of Cabinet formation on the number of ministerial berths the Congress and the JD(S) would get. The meeting took place at Rahul’s Tughlak Lane residence. “There is no bargain. We will cordially work out things. We must work together. I am here to take their (Congress leaders) advice,” said Kumaraswamy when asked by newsmen ahead of the meeting how the Congress and the JD(S) will address the issue of ministry formation. [caption id=“attachment_4476517” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File images of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy. PTI[/caption] “We are going to give a stable government. All these issues are not yet discussed. We have not discussed any future course of action”. After the meeting, Kumaraswamy told reporters he had invited both Sonia and Rahul for the swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru and they have agreed to come. KC Venugopal, AICC in-charge of Karnataka, was also present at the meeting. Kumaraswamy is expected to take the floor test within 24 hours after being sworn in. Both Congress and JD(S) MLAs will remain confined to their hotels till the floor test, according to reports from Bengaluru. Kumaraswamy was invited by Governor Vajubhai Vala to take the reins of power after the three-day BJP government collapsed last Saturday with BS Yeddyurappa, unable to muster the required number for a majority, stepping down as the chief minister without facing the floor test in the state Assembly. The 12 May Karnataka assembly polls threw up a hung verdict with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats. The Congress was next with 78 and the JD(S) followed with 37. The BSP has one MLA and two seats went to Independents. Meanwhile, in a development that could leave the Congress red-faced in Karnataka, its MLA Shivaram Hebbar dismissed as “fake” an audio clip released by the party to allege that the BJP offered money and ministerial berth to him for cross-voting during the floor test in the Assembly. The Congress had released three audio tapes in the run up to the floor test, claiming that the BJP leaders were trying to ‘poach’ on the party MLAs by offering ‘blandishments’ so that the Yeddyurappa government is saved. One of the audio tapes released by the party allegedly had a conversation between Hebbar’s wife and BJP leaders, who allegedly offered money and ministerial post to woo him to vote for the BJP. However, in a Facebook post in Kannada, Hebbar questioned the authenticity of the audio clip, saying his wife did not receive any such call. “This is not my wife’s voice and she has not received any such calls. The audio tape is fake. I condemn it,” he wrote. BJP president Amit Shah said the new government will be a “betrayal” of people’s mandate and questioned its fate, saying it is already “destabilised” with the two parties forced to keep their MLAs in hotels “undemocratically”. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Shah also mocked the Congress for its celebration at the turn of events in Karnataka, saying it has found a new way of discovering win in its defeat and added that he prayed that it sticks to its definition of victory. The BJP then would have no problem in winning the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he said. Describing the Congress-JD(S) alliance as “unholy”, he said the HD Deve Gowda’s party fought the election on an anti-Congress plank and benefitted from people’s mood against the incumbent party in the state. At an event in Bengaluru, G Parameshwara said difficult times were ahead, but there was a need to stop the BJP from coming to power in the southern state. He said he understood the sentiments of many who were averse to a tie-up between the Congress and JD(S). However, the need to keep communal forces away from power made the Congress lend support to JD(S), Parameshwara said. “I do understand the sentiments of many people that we should not have gone with the JD(S). But there was a need to stop the BJP from coming to power again in Karnataka. Keeping this in mind, our seniors took a decision to support the JD(S). We all must accept their decision,” he said. “We may see difficult times ahead. We are visualising the challenges ahead, but we need to bear all the hardship to build a strong party,” the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief said.
Karnataka govt formation updates: Congress' G Parameshwara to take oath as deputy CM tomorrow
Ahead of his swearing-in as CM, Kumaraswamy on Monday met Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to finalise the modalities of government formation
 "Karnataka govt formation updates: Congress' G Parameshwara to take oath as deputy CM tomorrow")
KC Venugopal: 22 of 34 ministries to go with Congress
Congress-JDS leaders met and discussed about the cabinet formation, out of 34 ministries, 22 ministries will go with Congress Party and 12 ministries, including CM will be with be with JDS. Portfolio allocation to be decided after floor test: KC Venugopal, Congress #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/SEY9wej2n0
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
Congress’ KR Ramesh Kumar to be the speaker of Karnataka’s Vidhana Soudha
Congress's KR Ramesh Kumar to be the Speaker of the #Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha. pic.twitter.com/LV2q8xH15P
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
Congress’ G Parameshwara to be sworn in as Karnataka deputy CM tomorrow
Congress's G Parameshwara to take oath as the #Karnataka Deputy CM tomorrow pic.twitter.com/1srzAqa4xi
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
HD Kumaraswamy: Speaker and deputy speaker to be elected on 25 May
Today we took decision regarding the expansion (of the cabinet). Speaker & deputy speaker would be elected on 25 May. Portfolios would be decided day after tomorrow. Everything is alright, no differences: #Karnataka CM designate HD Kumaraswamy pic.twitter.com/x0BNHH1XGy
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
BJP’s practice of losing elections but forming government stopped in Karnataka: Yechury
BJP's practice of losing elections but forming govt, this trend has stopped in Karnataka. Pinarayi Vijayan and I will attend the oath taking ceremony of HD Kumaraswamy tomorrow: Sitaram Yechury, CPI-M pic.twitter.com/zdAOhSOf4m
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
Kumaraswamy visits Karnataka temples ahead of swearing-in
A day ahead of his swearing-in, Karnataka chief minister-designate HD Kumaraswamy visited the Hindu holy towns of Dharmasthala and Sringeri on Tuesday to pray for the success of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.
The JD(S) leader returned to the southern state after a day-long visit on Monday to Delhi to discuss government formation with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
“Although the people did not bless me and our party with a clear mandate, I have got an opportunity again to serve them by God’s grace and my parents’ blessings,” Kumaraswamy said.
Most non-BJP leaders to attend tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony, says chief minister designate HD Kumaraswamy
Most of the leaders, other than BJP leaders, will attend oath taking ceremony tomorrow. Rahul Ji, Ghulam Nabi Aazad, Maywati Ji, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Chandrababu Naidu, Stalin, several people are coming: #Karnataka Chief Minister designate HD Kumaraswamy pic.twitter.com/AAu8YdVi2O
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
Yechury to share stage with Congress leaders at Kumaraswamy swearing-in
Reflecting the new political line adopted by the CPM to unite all “secular-democratic” forces to take on the BJP, its general secretary Sitaram Yechury would share the stage with leaders of the Congress and other parties at the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka chief minister-designate HD Kumaraswamy.
Yechury, who has been personally invited by Kumaraswamy, would travel to Bengaluru to attend the oath-taking ceremony.
“The chief minister-designate, who had come to Delhi, spoke to me over the phone. I said there is no need for formality. He invited me to attend the swearing-in ceremony. I will attend it in Bengaluru on 23 May,” he said.
At the CPM politburo meeting in Delhi on Monday, the party encouraged Yechury to attend the ceremony.
“At our party Congress, we had adopted the political line of uniting all secular forces to defeat the BJP. There is no problem in Yechury sharing the stage with (leaders of) all secular forces, including the Congress,” a senior leader said.
A group of Muslim organisations demand for a leader from Muslim community to be made deputy CM in the new Karnataka govt
A group of Muslim organisations brief media, demand that either 7-time Congress MLA Roshan Baig or some other leader from muslim community be made the Deputy CM in the new government in Karnataka. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/cO39oNqLhZ
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
BJP questions electoral procedures after VVPAT machines found abandoned in Vijayapura
Eight boxes used for carrying Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines were found at a temporary shed in a village in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district, triggering a strong reaction from the BJP which said it indicated “grave irregularities” in conduct of the polls.
Reacting to the incident, BJP, which emerged as the single largest party but fell short of simple majority, said it “exposed the enormity of the irregularities in the elections.”
The state chief electoral officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar said today the boxes used for carrying Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines, found in Managuli village, do not belong to the district or to Election Commission.
“The boxes are without machine and paper and without unique electronic tracking number… the Election Commission will initiate strict action against those who are trying to create confusion,” Kumar said, adding, no VVPAT machines were found.
The deputy commissioner of the district and the Superintendent of Police conducted on the spot inspection today following reports that empty boxes of VVPAT machines were spotted in the shed.
“These boxes do not belong to Vijayapura district and 2,744 VVPATs allotted to the district are safely kept in the strong room,” Kumar said.
Congress’ DK Shivakumar with Vijayanagara MLA Anand Singh in Bengaluru
Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar met Congress Vijayanagara MLA Anand Singh at Hilton hotel in Bengaluru's Domlur. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/xFny038AOu
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal to fly to Bengaluru in the evening to facilitate talks with JD(S)
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal to fly to Bengaluru on Tuesday evening to facilitate talks with the JD(S) ahead of HD Kumaraswamy's swearing-in on Wednesday. #CMKumaraswamy pic.twitter.com/06fSLWb0kp
— News18 (@CNNnews18) May 22, 2018
SC refuses early hearing into petition challenging tomorrow’s swearing-in
The Supreme Court refused to give an early hearing into the petition filed by Hindu Mahasabha that challenged the oath taking ceremony and appointment of HD Kumarswamy as the Karnataka chief minister, stating it was unconstitutional, ANI reported.
First objective is speaker’s election: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge
Our first objective is speaker's election, vote of confidence the next. Other things will be discussed only after these two are sorted: Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on distribution of portfolios in Congress-JD(S) government in #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/t7xui4YJeZ
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
Pinarayi Vijayan to attend swearing-in ceremony tomorrow
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will attend the swearing in ceremony of Janata Dal(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy as Karnataka chief minister on 23 May.
Vijayan will be attending the ceremony, accepting the invitation of former prime minister and JDS supremo Deve Gowda and his son, Kumaraswamy, sources in the Chief Minister’s office told PTI.
The JD(S) is a partner of the ruling CPM-led LDF in Kerala.
The party’s nominee, Mathew P Thomas, is the water resources minister in the state cabinet.
RECAP: Congress MLA Shivaram Hebbar dismisses audio tapes of phone conversations as “fake”
In a development that could leave the Congress red-faced in Karnataka, its MLA Shivaram Hebbar on Monday dismissed as “fake” an audio clip released by the party to allege that the BJP offered money and ministerial berth to him for cross-voting during the floor test in the Assembly.
The Congress had released three audio tapes in run up to the floor test, claiming that the BJP leaders were trying to ‘poach’ on the party MLAs by offering ‘blandishments’ so that the BS Yeddyurappa government is saved. One of the audio tapes released by the party allegedly had a conversation between Hebbar’s wife and BJP leaders, who allegedly offered money and ministerial post to woo him to vote for the BJP.
In the audio tape in question, BS Yeddyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra and his close associate BJ Puttuswamy are heard speaking purportedly to Hebbar’s wife, offering money and ministerial position to her husband if he cross-voted in favour of the BJP during the floor test.
Read the full story hereNot the first time EC was told about irregularities in conduct of elections: BS Yeddyurappa
This is not the first time that irregularities in the conduct of elections were brought to the notice of Election Commission, and officials holding elections at ground level. Prior to polling we brought many such irregularities to notice of concerned officials, but in vain: BS Yeddyurappa told the CEC, accoding to ANI
BS Yeddyurappa on the abandoned VVPAT machines in Karnataka
I am of firm belief that Election Commission has taken a serious note of
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2018
VVPAT machines found abandoned in a shed near Managuli village in Vijayapur district. It indicates grave irregularities in conduct of assembly polls in Karnataka: BS Yeddyurappa in letter to CEC (file pic) pic.twitter.com/wf5V1WhnXu
Congress president Rahul Gandhi met HD Kumaraswamy at New Delhi on Monday night
I had a warm and cordial meeting this evening, in Delhi, with Shri H D Kumaraswamy ji. We discussed the political situation in Karnataka and other matters of mutual interest. I will be attending his swearing in as CM of Karnataka, on Wednesday, in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/sZAwX8mQut
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 21, 2018
BJP chief Amit Shah slams Congress’ alliance with JD(S)
Apart from Congress being defeated, another good thing that Karnataka verdict has done to the Congress party is to have their faith reposed in constitutional institutions, that they demolished throughout their rule: Shri @AmitShah #ShahSlamsUnholyAlliance pic.twitter.com/Qt0RZ4uj1D
— BJP (@BJP4India) May 21, 2018
Kumaraswamy to take floor test within 24 hours of taking oath tomorrow
Kumaraswamy is expected to take the floor test within 24 hours after being sworn in. Both Congress and JD(S) MLAs will remain confined to their hotels till the floor test, according to reports from Bengaluru.
Kumaraswamy was invited by Governor Vajubhai Vala to take the reins of power after the three-day BJP government collapsed last Saturday with BS Yeddyurappa, unable to muster the required number for a majority, stepping down as the chief minister without facing the floor test in the state Assembly.
No bargain with Congress: HD Kumaraswamy
“There is no bargain. We will cordially work out things. We must work together. I am here to take their (Congress leaders) advice,” said Kumaraswamy when asked by newsmen ahead of the meeting how the Congress and the JD(S) will address the issue of ministry formation.
“We are going to give a stable government. All these issues are not yet discussed. We have not discussed any future course of action”.
After the meeting, Kumaraswamy told reporters he had invited both Sonia and Rahul for the swearing-in ceremony in Bengaluru and they have agreed to come. KC Venugopal, AICC in-charge of Karnataka, was also present at the meeting.
JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy to be sworn-in as CM tomorrow for the second time in 12 years
Kumaraswamy, who will be sworn-in as chief minister on Wednesday for the second time in 12 years, flew into the capital this afternoon and began his engagements with a meeting with pre-poll ally BSP chief Mayawati. BSP bagged 1 seat.
State Conmgress chief G Parameshwara might be made deputy CM
Congress has mooted two deputy chief ministers for the numerically strong party in order to strike a balance with the JD(S) but the regional party is believed to be not in favour of this proposal. KPCC chief G Parameshwara is among the frontrunners for the deputy chief minister’s post.
Arvind Kejriwal to attend swearing-in ceremony
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will attend the swearing-in ceremony AAP leader Arunoday Prakash has confirmed.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to attend swearing-in ceremony
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka CM designate HD Kumaraswamy on 23 May. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/VuIwVnn6Kp
— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2018
Rahul Gandhi to attend swearing-in ceremony
Congress president Rahul Gandhi confirmed his presence at the swearing-in ceremony of HD Kumaraswamy as Karnataka chief minister on 23 May. He said he had a “cordial” meeting with the JD(S) leader, with whom he discussed the political situation in Karnataka. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also present at the meeting.
“I had a warm and cordial meeting this evening, in Delhi, with Shri H D Kumaraswamy ji. We discussed the political situation in Karnataka and other matters of mutual interest. I will be attending his swearing in as CM of Karnataka, on Wednesday, in Bengaluru,” he said on Twitter. The Congress and the JD(S) will hold a meeting tomorrow in Bengaluru, where the modalities over power sharing would be worked out.
PTI
Rahul Gandhi says he had ‘warm and cordial’ meeting with HD Kumaraswamy
I had a warm and cordial meeting this evening, in Delhi, with Shri H D Kumaraswamy ji. We discussed the political situation in Karnataka and other matters of mutual interest. I will be attending his swearing in as CM of Karnataka, on Wednesday, in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/sZAwX8mQut
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 21, 2018
JD(S)-Congress government will be stable one: Kumaraswamy
Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said on Monday evening he was confident that the yet-to-be sworn in coalition government with the Congress in Karnataka will be stable.
IANS
Shiv Sena slams BJP again on Karnataka govt formation
The Shiv Sena said on Monday that the BJP’s attempt to save the BS Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka was not the way to make the country “Congress-free”.
Stressing the need to save democracy in the country, the BJP’s bickering ally said no government can use the Constitution to enforce its decisions on people.
In an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Sena also alleged that “the governor” and the President sometimes act like agents of the government.
PTI
8 empty boxes used for carrying VVPAT machines found in shed in Vijayapura
Eight boxes used for carrying Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines have been found at a temporary shed in a village in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district, triggering a strong reaction from the BJP which said it indicated “grave irregularities” in conduct of the polls.
Reacting to the incident, BJP, which emerged as the single largest party but fell short of simple majority, said it “exposed the enormity of the irregularities in the elections.”
The state chief electoral officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar said today the boxes used for carrying Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines, found in Managuli village yesterday, do not belong to the district or to Election Commission.
PTI
Congress to decide on Deputy CM candidate tomorrow
HD Kumaraswamy spoke to reporters on the question of who will become Deputy chief minister of Karnataka. ANI quoted him as saying that Rahul Gandhi has given permission to Congress general secretary KC Venugopal to .finalise everything.’ He further said that Rahul would carry out a discussion with local leaders and finalise the issue.
Kumaraswamy meets Rahul and Sonia Gandhi
#Karnataka CM designate HD Kumaraswamy met Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. JD(S) Danish Ali and Congress's KC Venugopal also present. pic.twitter.com/Qqqf3PFJQ4
— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2018
Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha moves SC
Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha moves Supreme Court against Karnataka governor’s decision inviting Congress-JD(Secular) to form government, reports PTI.
Kumaraswamy arrives at residence of Rahul Gandhi
#Karnataka CM designate HD Kumaraswamy arrived at the residence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/5mKXrJgxq9
— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2018
‘We will give stable govt’
“Modalities of formation of new govt to be worked out after meeting Sonia and Rahul Gandhi,” HD Kumaraswamy tells PTI.
Kumaraswamy leaves Karnataka Bhavan
#Karnataka CM designate HD Kumaraswamy leaves from Karnataka Bhawan. He will shortly meet Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/wc2dPx9gkx
— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2018
‘Dirty politics thrives on private lives’
Ever since the Congress-JDS combine managed to outmanoeuvre the BJP in Bengaluru, pictures are doing the rounds of Kumaraswamy with Radhika, a Kannada actor who was supposed to have been “married” to the already-married Kumaraswamy for about a decade until they split up a couple of years ago.
Read full article by Sandip Roy here
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