Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth welcomed Supreme Court’s order to conduct a floor test in Karnataka Assembly. (Source: Twitter/ANI) Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth welcomed Supreme Court’s order to conduct a floor test in Karnataka Assembly. (Source: Twitter/ANI)

A day after B S Yeddyurappa resigned as Karnataka chief minister without facing the floor test, actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth Sunday termed Governor Vajubhai Vala’s decision to give the BJP 15 days to prove majority as “a mockery of democracy.”

Expressing his gratitude to the Supreme Court for upholding democracy, Rajinikanth told ANI, “What happened in Karnataka yesterday was a win for democracy. BJP asking for some more time and Governor giving 15 days time was a mockery of democracy. I would like to thank Supreme Court for its order, which upheld the democracy.”

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“According to the Constitution, majority should be proved in the assembly, the Congress-JD(S) is going to do it, and I see this as a victory for democracy,” he further said.

The Supreme Court had ordered Yeddyurappa to face a floor test at 4 pm Saturday to prove BJP’s majority in the state assembly. Yeddyurappa was sworn in Thursday after Governor Vala invited him to form the government following the fractured verdict in Karnataka Assembly elections. Friday’s court order came in response to the petitions filed by the Congress and the Janata Dal(Secular) on Wednesday night, challenging Governor Vala’s move.

The Supreme Court, in a second ever pre-dawn hearing, declined to stall the Governor’s order inviting B S Yeddyurappa to form the government. It, however, underlined that the BJP leader’s tenure as CM was subject to the outcome of the writ petitions that were heard Friday.

Read | Karnataka Elections: BJP down, Congress second fiddle, Opposition counts gains

Opposition leaders from across party lines had also welcomed the developments in Karnataka Saturday. BSP chief Mayawati had thanked the Supreme Court “for taking a firm stand” during the Karnataka crisis, while Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav hailed the Supreme Court for its role in the Karnataka crisis, saying it had protected democracy. Joining the league of Opposition leaders, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and TDC chief N Chandrababu Naidu also termed it as a “victory of democracy”.

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