Governor HR Bhardwaj asks Speaker not to disqualify the rebels.
A day ahead of the crucial trust vote in the Karnataka Assembly, Governor H R Bhardwaj has directed Speaker K G Bopaiah against disqualifying 10 rebels of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), even as a beleaguered Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa exuded confidence of proving majority to save his 29-month-old government.
In a letter to the Speaker, he warned him of constitutional action if his directive was violated. The governor said the strength of the 225-member Assembly should be maintained as on October 6.
“All the sitting members should be allowed to participate in the session when the confidence motion is taken up on Monday,” the governor told the Speaker through the letter.
The Speaker, however, reserved his action against the rebel BJP MLAs till tomorrow.
The rebels had earlier also sent their lawyers to meet the Speaker and put forward their case. The rebel MLAs faced disqualification as the BJP had given them deadline till today to come back to its fold. However, they have joined hands with the Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S), and are confident of overthrowing the Yeddyurappa government.
In the House, the BJP has 117 members, followed by 73 of the Congress, 28 from the JD(S) and six Independents. A mark of 113 is required to prove majority in the House.
Bhardwaj said if there was any alteration in the numbers ignoring his directive, his decision would be final. He said the process of the chief minister seeking the trust vote tomorrow to prove his government’s majority as per his direction should be held as per law and all legislators should be allowed to take part in the exercise.
Bopaiah, expressed shock at the way the governor directed him. He said he knows how to conduct the House under the purview of the Constitution and he need not be directed by the governor.
The governor’s missive to the Speaker has come as a dampener to the BJP, which had been hoping to get a favourable order on disqualification of the rebel MLAs, against whom Yeddyurappa has filed a complaint under provisions of the anti-defection law after they withdrew support to his government.
Yeddyurappa, it is learnt, was also seeking suspension of four Congress and JD(S) MLAs for their involvement in “unruly scenes” that unfolded during Speaker’s election last year.
