CONTROVERSIAL: BJP MLA KG Bopaiah sworn in as Karnataka assembly pro tem speaker by Governor 24 hours before crucial floor test

Just hours after the Supreme Court ordered that Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa must prove his majority on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly at 4 pm on Saturday, further controversy has been courted by the Governor of the state, Vajubhai Vala, appointing a BJP MLA as the pro tem speaker.

BJP MLA KG Bopaiah has been appointed pro tem speaker of Karnataka Assembly ahead of the crucial floor test.

Bopaiah, who is a MLA from Karnataka's Virajpet constituency, has been both pro tem speaker and elected speaker of the Karnataka Assembly earlier.

The fact that he is a BJP MLA may well weigh in on the crucial floor test on Saturday as the speaker will cast the tie-breaker vote in case one is required.

Here is the letter appointing Bopaiah as pro tem speaker:

Speaking on the matter, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for the petitioners Congress and JD(S) in the Supreme Court over the course of the two hearings, said that the pro tem speaker should be the senior-most MLA, adding that it doesn't matter whether he/she is from the BJP or Congress.

The Congress has protested the appointment of the three-term-MLA Bopaiah over eight-term-MLA Deshpande who belongs to the INC. The party has also earlier made a number of allegations against the Governor, terming his invitation to Yeddyurappa to form a government in the state despite allegedly not having a majority "unconstitutional".

Tweeting after the Supreme Court's order on Friday morning, Congress president Rahul Gandhi wrote:

Following the appointment, Republic TV has learnt that the Congress is preparing to approach the Supreme Court seeking to challenge it.