BANGALORE: Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh resigned after heading the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government for 18 months in the state. With his resignation, political uncertainty that started following the withdrawal of support by a section of JD(S) legislators, led by H D Kumaraswamy, son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda ended.

Dharam Singh sent his resignation to the state governor T N Chaturvedi through his principal secretary S V Ranganath. Earlier in the day, Singh met governor and sought two days' time to prove his majority. However, the governor rejected the proposal on technical grounds.

Singh, who could not seek vote of confidence on the floor of the house on Friday as mandated by the Governor, said that due to unprecedented proceedings in the assembly the speaker abruptly adjourned the house sine die though he had given notice of the motion to speaker in the morning itself, he added.

Following the resignation, Karnataka governor Chaturvedi has decided to invite JD-S rebel leader H D Kumaraswamy to form government. "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 the JD-S, that he is in a position to command majority in the House," the governor told reporters.

He said he had decided that he might prove his majority on the floor of the House within eight days of his ascension of office.

JD-S is expected to form the coalition government on February 3, 2006 with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).