Former Karnataka Chief Minister, BS Yeddyrappa has formally launched his new party, Karnataka Janatha Party. The announcement was made at a rally at Haveri on Sunday. Thirteen BJP MLAs loyal to Yeddyrappa shared the dais with him, defying the party directive. Addressing the rally, Yeddyurappa claimed that the Jagdish Shettar Government has lost the majority in the Karnataka Assembly. He challenged the Chief Minister to dissolve the Assembly and seek a fresh mandate.

The Chief Minister, however, ruled out his resignation and asserted and he still commanded the majority. Mr. Shettar said, action will be taken against those who defied the party directive and participated in Yeddyurappa rally.

Mr. Shettar on Saturday had sacked Yeddyurappa loyalists BJ Puttaswamy from the Ministry and suspended Tumkur MP, GS Basavraju.

AIR correspondent reports that Yeddyurappa's new political chapter comes after a 16-month running feud with the central leadership of the BJP. He was asked to quit as the Chief Minister in July 2011, over the Lokayukta report on illegal mining indicting him.