NEW DELHI, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Newly elected legislators in India's southwestern state of Karnataka Saturday assembled in the lawmaking body to be sworn in as the lawmakers ahead of crucial floor test.
The floor test in the Karnataka Assembly is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local time Saturday as per the Supreme Court directions.
Senior lawmaker from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) K.G. Bopaiah, appointed as the Pro Tem Speaker by Governor Vajubhai Vala, is overseeing the ongoing proceedings in the House.
"The Assembly session began at 11:00 a.m today and the newly-elected legislators are being sworn into the Karnataka lawmaking body," an official said.
According to officials, two Congress party legislators, Anand Singh and Pratapgouda Patil, who have been missing for the past few days, were yet to reach the assembly.
"Once the formalities are completed, the floor test would be conducted at 4:00 p.m. where the three-day-old Yeddyurappa government will face the critical floor test," the official said.
B.S. Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the chief minister on Thursday morning amid high political drama and protests from the opposition Congress and Janta Dal (Secular).
The state's governor had controversially given Yeddyurappa 15 days to prove his majority, a condition rejected by India's apex court on Friday.
Out of 224 constituencies of the state, elections were held for 222 constituencies.
The BJP which emerged as a single largest party has 104 seats but falls short of eight seats.
Congress party bagged 78 seats, while as regional Janta Dal (Secular) has 37 seats. Two seats have been won by independent candidates.
Although Congress party and Janta Dal (Secular) have entered into a post poll alliance and met governor to stake the claim for government formation, the governor ignored their claim.
Both parties together have 115 seats, a clear majority.?
