Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi on Saturday evening invited Janata Dal-Secular rebel leader H D Kumaraswamy to form the government soon after Chief Minister Dharam Singh stepped down.

"I have decided to invite Kumaraswamy to form his government at the earliest as I believe, on the basis of written letters of support from the BJP and JD(S), he is in a position to command a majority in the House," the governor said.

He has given Kumaraswamy eight days to prove his majority on the floor of the House.