Agencies
Bangalore, May 30:
Scripting a new chapter in Karnataka's political history, a 30-member BJP ministry led by Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa was on Friday sworn-in here ushering in saffron party's first ever government in south India. Yeddyurappa, who led the party to victory in the recent assembly polls, took oath in the name of farmers and God on his second innings as Chief Minister, a post from which he was unceremoniously toppled six months ago, a week after assuming office when its erstwhile ally, JDS, withdrew support.
However, Yeddyurappa, 66, had to do a balancing act to form his ministry on Friday as he inducted five independents to be part of his 30-member cabinet to cross the magic figure of 113 in the 224-member Assembly.
Though the BJP emerged victorious at the hustings, winning 110 seats, it fell short of a simple majority, necessitating to seek support of the independents.
Governor Rameshwar Thakur administered the oath of office and secrecy to Yeddyurappa and 29 ministers on the portals of the Vidhan Soudha, the state secretariat. The function was attended by a galaxy of leaders, including BJP President Rajnath Singh, LK Advani, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, VHP leader Ashok Singhal, Gopinath Munde, Maneka Gandhi.
JD (U) leader George Fernandes, with whose party the BJP refused to ink seat-sharing pact in the polls, also attended.
The assumption of office by the BJP ministry on Friday brought to an end the six-month long President's Rule in the state which was imposed on November 20 after the saffron party-led government collapsed on November 19.
Congress rebel who won the Kolar seat and a supporter to the Yeddyurappa government, did not join the ministry, reasons of which were not yet known.
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