Yediyurappa takes oath as Karnataka CM, to face floor test on Monday

The development came after the 14-month-old Congress-JDS coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy collapsed on Tuesday after losing the vote of confidence in the Assembly

BJP leader B S Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka on Friday, taking charge of the state for the fourth time in his political career.

Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Yediyurappa, 76, at a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

The Yediyurappa-led BJP ministry is assuming office three days after the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) government with the defeat of the motion of confidence moved by chief minister H D Kumaraswamy in the assembly by 99-105 votes.

Yediyurappa, who is president of the BJP's Karnataka unit, met the Governor on Friday morning and requested him to administer the oath of office and secrecy.

Before the swearing in, Yediyurappa said he would decide on members to be inducted into the ministry after consulting party president Amit Shah.

This is the fourth stint for Yediyurappa as the Chief Minister-- the last one was after the May 2018 Assembly polls, when he barely lasted three days after being sworn in. 

The new chief minister reverted to the earlier English spelling of his name B S Yediyurappa, apparently influenced by numerology.