Karnataka: Yeddyurappa survives, opposition calls it foul play

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Bangalore, October 11, 2010: Bangalore:  Amid complete chaos in the Assembly, the beleaguered Yedyurappa government has survived a test of strength, with a  confidence motion being passed by voice vote on Monday morning.

Before the crucial test of strength on the floor of the House for the BJP-led government, Speaker KG Bopaiah disqualified 11 dissident BJP MLAs and five independents. The disqualified MLAs are up in arms and five of them forced their way into the Vidhan Souda.
 
As the MLAs violently protested against their disqualification, one even reportedly punching a Marshal,  the police was forced to enter the House and struggled to  control the lawmakers.
 
The disqualified MLAs, especially the Independents, are also said to be seeking legal help.  

In his order, Speaker Bopaiah said these 16 MLAs had been disqualified under the provision of the anti-defection law as envisaged in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

With this disqualification, the numbers favoured the BJP and allowed it to scrape thorough in the floor test.

The BJP MLAs disqualified are: Balachandra Jarkiholi, Belur Gopala Krishna, Anand Asnotikar, Dr Sarvabowma Bagali, V Nagaraju, Raje Kage, Y Sampangi, Nanjundaswamy, S K Bellubbi, H S Shankara Lingegowda and Shivanagouda Naik.

Former ministers Venkataramanappa, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Goolihatti Sekhar and M P Narendraswamy and independent MLAs have also been disqualified.

Karnataka numbers:

    * Total: 208
    * Halfway: 104
    * BJP: 105
    * Congress: 73
    * JD(S): 28
    * Independents: 1

 
With this action, Bopaiah brought down the strength in the 224-member Assembly to 208. The ruling party strength reduced to 105 from 117 and the opposition Congress and JD(S) had a combined strength of 101 (Congress 73 and JD(S) 28). So, BJP was in position to pull through (Half way mark now being 104).

The Speaker’s move came after a big confrontation between him and Governor HR Bharadwaj who had  directed the Speaker not to disqualify any rebel MLA before the floor test on Monday.

The Governor and the Speaker traded letters and charges after Governor HR Bharadwaj stepped in to indicate the Speaker, KG Bopaiah, should not disqualify the rebel MLAs in order to maintain the character and configuration of the House.

The Governor had yesterday shot off an advise under Article 175 (2) of the Constitution, asking the Speaker not to change the character of the House and ensure that all members participate in the trial of strength.

Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, who is spearheading the oust BJP government campaign reacted sharply to the disqualification charging that the BJP government has adopted "anti-democratic" methods to survive in power.

Jarkiholi, one of the disqualified MLA, said the rebels would challenge the Speaker’s decision and approach the Governor. The Independent MLAs may also move the court.

It’s been a week full of drama in Karntaka politics with the rebel MLAs city hopping late last night; two chartered planes brought back the MLAs to Bangalore, they are being closely guarded by JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy.

The Speaker had given the rebels a deadline of 5 pm on Sunday to answer the notice he had issued to them. They ignored that deadline and stayed in Chennai where they met once again with JD (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy. (With PTI inputs)

Disqualified rebel MLAs barge into K’taka Assembly
Restricted from entering the Karnataka State Assembly, the 16 disqualified rebel MLAs created a ruckus outside the Vidhana Soudha on Monday, Oct 11.

11 BJP MLAs and 5 Independent MLAs, who were earlier disqualified by the speaker K G Bopaiah under the anti-defection law, forced themselves into the Assembly.


Shameful scenes were seen at the Assembly as the dissidents broke window panes and assaulted marshals to barge into the building.

The rebels were on Oct 7 served with show-cause notices by the speaker seeking a reason as to why they should not be disqualified under the anti-defection law after they announced that they wanted to withdraw support to the BS Yeddyurappa government.

Hours ahead of the trust vote scheduled to be held on Monday, Oct 11 the speaker went ahead and disqualified the dissidents giving an advantage to the Yeddyurappa government, despite directions from Governor HR Bharadwaj not to do so before the floor test.

The rebels are now alleging that the speaker is biased.

Courtesy: NDTV