Strong enough to take non-partisan decision despite slurs against me: K'tka Speaker

Taking a jibe at his critics, Karnataka Assembly Speaker K Ramayya Ramesh Kumar began Friday's session of Vidhan Soudha by asking those "hurling slurs" at him to look back at their life.

Making an emotional opening statement, Ramesh also reiterated his "non-partisan" commitment towards the post occupied by him and said that he will take an impartial decision irrespective of attacks aimed at him.

"Those who hurl slurs at my character, look back at what your life has been. Anyone who knows me knows I don't have lakhs of money stashed up like others. I have enough strength to take a non-partisan decision despite such slurs", said Kumar.

 

He also cautioned the house, having the presence of both government and opposition members, to not to expect any favour from him.

"I am not here to make it convenient for either of you", he said.

Today's session of Vidhana Soudha is expected to witness fireworks with the opposition pressing for an immediate trust vote.

BJP MLAs haven't left the house since yesterday and have staged an unprecedented nightlong protest in the house.

Yesterday, soon after the Karnataka Assembly was adjourned without a trial of strength, Governor Vajubhai Vala wrote a letter to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy asking him to prove majority on the floor of the House by tomorrow afternoon.

Vala told Kumaraswamy to prove his government's majority by 1.30 pm on Friday. This came after a BJP delegation headed by former minister Jagdish Shettar rushed to the Raj Bhavan and met the Governor seeking completion of the business.

Amid a furore on the issue with BJP members demanding that the confidence motion be put to vote immediately, the Chair adjourned the House till the next day. The BJP had then announced that its members will spend the night in the House in protest.

The 13-month-old Congress-JDS government had earlier this month slumped into a minority following the resignation of the dissident MLAs. Sixteen MLAs from the ruling coalition including thirteen Congress and three JD(S) MLAs have resigned.