BS Yeddyurappa took oath as Karnataka Chief Minister on Thursday (AFP)
Highlights
- BS Yeddyurappa appointed his government's top law officer
- He made key changes to police establishment in Karnataka
- Crucial changes made to intelligence wing of the police
On a day the Congress said he would prove to be a
"one day" chief minister, BS Yeddyurappa got down to business soon after his swearing in, appointing his government's top law officer and making key changes to the police establishment in Karnataka.
Senior high court lawyer Prabhuling K Navadgi has been made the new advocate general of Karnataka in place of Madhusudan R Naik who resigned.
The appointment of Mr Navadgi, a former additional solicitor general, comes at a time a petition filed by the Congress --- challenging the governor's decision to invite Mr Yeddyurappa to form the government --- is being heard by the Supreme Court.
The court has sought the letters given by Mr Yeddyurappa to the governor while
staking claim to form the government.
The BJP that emerged the single-largest party has 104 of the 222 seats for which polling was held. It's still short of eight seats needed to form the government. The Congress-JD(S) combine claims the support of 116 lawmakers.
Congress and JDS legislators take a bus out of Karnataka
Crucial changes have been made to the intelligence wing of the police, considered a key unit of the state administration.
Senior IPS officer Amar Kumar Pandey, who was serving as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Railways, has been made ADGP, Intelligence.
Sandeep Patil, who was posted as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in the state reserve police has been made DIG, Intelligence.
These appointments come a day after three BJP lawmakers claimed that the earlier Congress government was
tapping their phones.
Ramaganagara district that houses the resort where lawmakers supporting the Congress were staying has got a new police chief in K Annamalai who was transferred from Chikkamagaluru.
The Congress that has now
moved its lawmakers out of the state to keep its flock together earlier claimed that police cover outside the resort had been withdrawn. Former minister DK Shivakumar has alleged that it was done as the BJP wanted to "grab power".
The governor has given Mr Yeddyurappa 15 days to prove his majority on the floor of the assembly but the chief minister today said we "must not wait" that long.