Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on 21 May.

Mr Kumaraswamy has invited Miss Banerjee at the oath-taking ceremony.
“I just spoke with Kumaraswamy Ji and congratulated him. He invited me for the oath-taking ceremony on Monday,” Miss Banerjee tweeted this evening.

I just spoke with Kumaraswamy Ji and congratulated him. He invited me for the oath taking ceremony on Monday @hd_kumaraswamy

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— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 19, 2018

Soon after BS Yeddyurappa resigned as chief minister, Miss Banerjee said it was the victory of democracy and the federal front. “Democracy wins. Congratulations Karnataka. Congratulations DeveGowda Ji, Kumaraswamy Ji, Congress and others. Victory of the ‘regional’ front,” she tweeted.

Democracy wins. Congratulations Karnataka. Congratulations DeveGowda Ji, Kumaraswamy Ji, Congress and others. Victory of the ‘regional’ front

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 19, 2018

She will leave for Karnataka tomorrow evening and return to Kolkata after the oath taking ceremony on Monday. Miss Banerjee was scheduled to felicitate artists at Banga Bhusan programme on Monday but it is likely to be postponed by a day.

Miss Banerjee had called up to congratulate both Mr Deve Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy after the election results were declared. She had particularly stressed on the importance of the regional parties and said that both Congress and the BJP should remember that regional parties are more important. We should take regional parties into confidence as these parties are very strong,” she had said.

Later, Miss Banerjee had questioned as to why the Governor of Karnataka had not called JD(S) chief Kumaraswamy and the Congress to form the government as they enjoyed the majority.

“It is a constitutional crisis. The Governor’s post is a respectable one and he is our constitutional authority. But a Governor is not our political guide and the Governor cannot decide because of his personal choice to allow somebody to form the government even if he does not have the majority and not to allow somebody who has the requisite number to form the government. ‘ Today it may suit some political party but tomorrow it may not be. We always respect the democratic institution. But if you violate the constitution and if you violate the democratic system then you must remember that it will affect all,” she had told media persons in Nabanna on 17 May.

Miss Banerjee had also criticised “horse-trading politics”. “This horse-trading politics will bring doom to the democratic set-up of the country. Our civilisation and constitution will be in terrible danger if such politics is allowed. Horse-trading is bad for everyone. We condemn such politics,” she had
said.