Naidu, Mamata Banerjee welcome Yeddyurappa's resignation

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) : Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday expressed relief over B. S. Yeddyurappa's resignation, and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) undemocratic behaviour is finally defeated.

"Right now a news came that B. S. Yeddyurappa has resigned. Are all of you happy? All those who believe in democracy are happy. 

Amit Shah tried to win Karnataka in all ways and means. Their undemocratic behaviour is defeated," Naidu said at a meeting with Sadhikara Mitra's at a grievance hall at his residence here.

Naidu also said that the Telugu people in Karnataka played crucial role in BJP's defeat.

"Telugus in Karnataka are furious over BJP for their betrayal of their motherland regarding the special category status," he said.

The Andhra Pradesh chief minister also said that today is the day when democracy has won and is finally saved.

"Karnataka governor misused his power by calling BJP instead of Congress - Janata Dal (Secular). When people at the stature of the Prime Minister and President of a national party encourage corruption; what kind of indications do they want to give. At last democracy is saved. We all are very happy. As a chief minister and supporter of democracy, I welcome this development," Naidu concluded.

Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to congratulate the people of Karnataka, hailing Yeddyurappa's resignation as a victory for the democracy.

"Democracy wins. Congratulations Karnataka. Congratulations DeveGowda Ji, Kumaraswamy Ji, Congress and others. Victory of the 'regional' front," she wrote.

Amid the turmoil in Karnataka, newly elected Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa exited the Vidhana Soudha to meet the state's governor Vajubhai R. Vala.

This comes after the BJP leader announced his resignation as chief minister ahead of the floor test that was scheduled for the Yeddyurappa government to prove majority at the state assembly.

Ahead of the scheduled floor test, Yeddyurappa in his address stated that irrespective of whether his government was in power, he would continue to serve people until his last breath.

"In the last five years, I have seen many things. I never lived in someone's sympathy or sat without responsibility. I have traveled throughout the state for the last two years and have seen the pain on the faces of people. I can't forget the love and affection I received from people. I will lose nothing if I lose power; my life is for the people," an emotional Yeddyurappa claimed.

Yeddyurappa further lashed out at the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance and said the two parties "have gone against the wishes of the people and joined hands."

"People have blessed us with 104 seats. The mandate wasn't for Congress or Janata Dal (Secular). If people would have given us 113 seats instead of 104, we would have made this state a paradise," he opined.

The turmoil in Karnataka began when the state governor Vajubhai R. Vala invited the BJP to form the government in the state, despite the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance having a higher number of seats.

Governor Vala had also given 15 days to the Yeddyurappa government to prove the majority in the house.

The Congress then filed a plea in the Supreme Court, which led to a rare midnight hearing by the three-judge bench of justice A.K. Sikri, justice S.A. Bobde and justice Ashok Bhushan. The court, however, refused to stay the oath-taking ceremony, following which Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the 23rd chief minister of Karnataka on Thursday morning.

In the hearing, which took place on Friday morning, the top court after hearing arguments for and against the petition filed by the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) decided o conduct a floor test at 4 pm on Saturday.

While the Supreme Court, ahead of the floor test, rejected a petition by the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) challenging the appointment of K.G. Bopaiah as pro-tem speaker, it directed that the procedure be broadcasted live.