The exit of the Congress-Janata Dal-Secular coalition government in Karnataka has paved way for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.
Following this win its state unit president BS Yeddyurappa is likely to stake claim to form the government. If accomplished, it would be his fourth stint as chief minister of the state.
Yeddyurappa, 76, first took over as the chief minister of Karnataka in 2007, but could not hold on to the post for even seven days after the JD-S withdrew support and President's rule was imposed in the state.
He again made way to the coveted post in 2008 but owing to corruption charges failed to complete a full term.
During his second term, he held the post from May 2008 to July 2011. He had to resign following the accusations of corruption charges in illegal land deregulation notification scam.
Thereafter in 2012, he formed a new party "Karnataka Praja Paksha" but rejoined the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in which he got elected from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency.
In 2018, the BJP veteran again jostled his way to the top post in the state but could not rule the state more than a week as his party failed to garner majority.
"A new era of development will start from now onwards," said BJP's Karnataka president B S Yeddyurappa soon after the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government lost the confidence vote.
Yeddyurappa said "It is the victory of democracy. People were fed up with the Kumaraswamy government. I want to assure the people of Karnataka that a new
era of development will start from now onwards," he said.
The BJP state chief said his focus will be farmers hard hit by drought and other problems.
"Our farmers are suffering due to drought and other reasons. In the coming days we assure the people of Karnataka that we will give more importance to the farmers so that they can live happily," he said.
He added that once his government takes over, it would take an appropriate decision at the earliest.
-- With inputs from PTI
