Karnataka under President's rule

Assembly kept in suspended animation.

President Pratibha Patil today signed a decree imposing President's rule in Karnataka for the second time in 35 days, after the Cabinet gave its nod to the decision on Tuesday morning. However, the Assembly has been kept in suspended animation.

Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur had recommended President's rule after the collapse of the week-long BJP-JD(S) government in the state following JD(S) failure to support the BJP during the confidence vote in the House. BJP's B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the chief minister of the first BJP-led government in the south on November 8.

Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, who travelled to Delhi yesterday, however denied that his party had betrayed the BJP or was in talks with the Congress to yet again stake a claim to form the government. Instead, he accused the BJP of having deliberately humiliated him and his son.

Flashing copies of the initial MoU arrived at between him and the BJP and the later, more humiliating one allegedly drafted by the BJP, Gowda said the BJP had changed the terms of the understanding.

"The BJP added terms and conditions like the changing of Speaker S Krishna, despite knowing very well that my party is facing disqualification of some MLAs," he said.

"We welcome President's rule and are ready for elections. Our party will come out stronger in this," he said.

The BJP too struck a defiant note saying that it wanted elections in the state as soon as possible.