West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, was conspicuous by her absence at the event, which was attended by tens of thousands of people as the Congress sought to promote opposition unity.
Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said criteria and frameworks are being decided for its implementation.
The BJP formally withdrew support from the Karnataka government on Sunday, thus reducing the Janata Dal-Secular government, led by Kumaraswamy, to a minority. The BJP met Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur at Raj Bhavan on Sunday to inform him about its decision to withdraw support. The BJP leaders also urged the governor to impose President's rule. Kumaraswamy said that he is ready to face the trust vote on October 18 and added that he is confident of winning.
In continuing desertions from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in poll-bound Karnataka, three more Members of Legislative Assembly on Thursday quit the party, apparently to join other parties before the assembly elections in May.
The Supreme Court issued notice to the Maharashtra government on a plea of Karnataka seeking to restrain its neighbouring state from setting up Marathi-speaking school in the disputed border area on Friday.
Denying talks about power sharing and speculations that deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar will take over as CM after two-and-half years or after 2024 Lok Sabha polls, minister MB Patil on Monday evening said Siddaramaiah will remain the chief minister for a full five-year term.
The political crisis in Karnataka BJP seemed headed for a resolution with warring factions led by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and the Reddy brothers saying an announcement is likely by this evening.
Seeking a third straight term, Modi is not just looking to stamp his electoral dominance on India but also chasing history with another consecutive victory equalling first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's record.
Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the 'inability' of the Congress to decide on the new chief minister early, despite having a complete majority, reflects on the internal situation of the party.
'The BJP knows only one language, intimidation!'
Legislators are said to be miffed and have complained that they had not been able to get work done in their constituencies, and also transfers (of Government servants) as requested, and have expressed unhappiness regarding Ministers, alleging non-cooperation.
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj has refuted charges that she is a protector of the mining barons Bellary brothers and played a role in their induction into the Karnataka cabinet.
Yeddyurappa had on Tuesday sacked three of his Cabinet colleagues who defied his diktat and refused to resign ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday.
Nine ministers of cabinet rank and four ministers of state were inducted at the swearing in ceremony at Raj Bhavan with Governor Vajubhai Vala administering the oath of office and secrecy.
The reshuffle is likely to take place after the ongoing Budget session ends on April 12, reports Archis Mohan.
The Cabinet on Wednesday approved construction of strategic oil storage facilities at three locations on east and west coast at an estimated cost of over Rs 1,600 crore.
K Rahman Khan, a veteran Parliamentarian who had a nearly six-year stint as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, makes a comeback into the Union Council of Ministers with a promotion to Cabinet rank.
Following the Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka, a major revolt has broken in the Bharatiya Janata Party with the powerful Reddy brothers terming Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa a "betrayer''.
"K C Venugopal is a buffoon, I feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for my leader Sri Rahul Gandhi ji," Baig told reporters.
A Karnataka minister on Monday threatened to commit suicide if he was dropped from the Yeddyurappa ministry even as the chief minister was facing problems in carrying out a cabinet reshuffle with an MLA warning of resignation by 20 legislators.
Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla, who had crossed 75 years, resigned on Tuesday from the Union Cabinet along with Minister of State for Heavy Industries G M Siddeshwara.
Karnataka Housing Minister V Somanna on Sunday hit out at Governor H R Bhardwaj's remarks that some ministers with 'tainted records' had been inducted into the Jagadish Shettar ministry, saying he should think twice before making such comments.
Sources say that 8-10 Members of the Legislative Assembly from the party are set to quit, thus reducing the BS Yeddyurappa-led government to a minority.
In a review meeting by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, these states and the union territory were asked to continue with rigorous vigil so as to contain the spread of infection as well as take steps to reduce fatalities.
Siddaramaiah, who hails from the shepherd Kuruba caste, holds the record for presenting the highest number of Budgets in Karnataka -- 13 so far. He has often spoken about how he was mocked in 1994 before he presented his first Budget. 'Some people asked, "Can he count sheep?",' Siddaramaiah told a regional news channel.
It is not clear whether Kumar would continue in the Union Cabinet or resign to take up party work.
Not only the BJP but key bureaucrats are also known to have hinted to the top leadership of the need to expand the Cabinet.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader K G Bopaiah was on Wednesday elected as the speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The elections were held after Jagadish Shettar stepped down the post to be sworn in as a cabinet minister in the B S Yeddyurappa government.
The decision of independent legislators to join the Cabinet does not mean that they have merged with the ruling party nor can they be hauled up under the anti-defection law if they subsequently withdraw support to the government, the Supreme Court has ruled. The apex court passed the significant ruling while dealing with the appeal filed by five Independent legislators challenging their disqualification by the K'taka speaker for withdrawing support to B S Yeddyuruppa govt.
Former Union law minister H R Bharadwaj was appointed as the Governor of Karnataka by President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday.
The Kerala government on Wednesday banned the production and sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the state.
The state, a pioneer in the IT revolution of the country, is now exploring options like partnerships with fab manufacturing countries, research and development organisations and also with academic institutions to explore possibilities for the growth of semiconductor companies located in the state.
In nearly 100 seats, the BJP stands almost no chance of winning. In 200 seats, it is a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress where the BJP has an upper hand. In 243 seats, the BJP is pitted against regional parties and it is not going to be easy. That is why 400 seats may end up as a pipe dream, states Ramesh Menon, author of Modi Demystified: The Making of a Prime Minister.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition ministry headed by H D Kumaraswamy in Karnataka was expanded Friday with the induction of 20 ministers.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar -- contesting on a Congress ticket hoping to reclaim his lost self-respect-- still has photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah hanging on a wall in his home-office and says it is not good to remove them.
'Hindu voters in coastal Karnataka lean more towards Hindutva than Hinduism which explains why the Siddaramaiah government's perception as anti-Hindu worked wonders for the BJP in coastal Karnataka.'
The on-again, off-again political crisis time in Karnataka continued on Friday when nine ministers loyal to former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa resigned from the state Cabinet.These include Jagadish Shettar, considered to be the chief-minister-in-waiting, Yeddyurappa's close aide Shobha Karandlage and seven others including Basavaraj Bommai, V Somana, Renukacharya, C M Udasi.
New Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday ruled out creation of a Deputy chief minister's post and re-induction of controversial Reddy brothers in the cabinet.
The imposition of President's rule in Karnataka is likely to be announced late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, depending upon the convenience of the President Pratibha Patil.
