Yediyurappa takes oath as Karnataka Chief Minister

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday sworn in BJP state president BS Yediyurappa as Chief Minister of the southern state at Raj Bhavan in the city centre.

"The Governor administered the oath of office and secrecy to Yediyurappa around 6:30 p.m. at a simple ceremony in the well-lit 'Glass House' on the sprawling lawns of Raj Bhavan," a state official said.

State Chief Secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar conducted the 10-minute ceremony on the dais, with the rendering of the National Anthem in the beginning and end of the event.

Draped in white safari suite, with a folded green shawl over his shoulders, the 75-year-old Yediyurappa took oath in Kannada in the name of god in the presence of dignitaries, special invitees and top officials of the state, including police officers.

This is the fourth time Yediyurappa, who hails from Shivamogga district in the picturesque Malnad region of the state, has become chief minister.

Among the prominent party leaders present on the occasion were BJP's state in-charge Muralidhar Rao, former BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar, former Assembly speaker KG Bopaiah, former ministers Basavaraj Bommai and BR Sriramuly and G Karunakar Reddy, elder brother of Ballari mining baron G Janardhan Reddy.

Party's senior leader and former state chief minster SM Krishna also attended the event.

Party's Lok Sabha members Shobha Karandlaje and Pratap Simha were also seen seated in the audience.

Sporting victory signs from his both hands and smiling, Yediyurappa greeted the gathering on the occasion.

As announced earlier, a miffed Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leaders, including their former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao boycotted the ceremony.