Bangalore: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa won the trust vote in the Karnataka Assembly amid much chaos.
Before the crucial test of strength on the floor of the Hosue for the BJP-led Yeddyurappa 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.
There has been chaos at the Assembly premises since morning ahead of the trust vote, with the police being forced to enter the House. One MLA reportedly punched a Marshal and the police struggled to control MLAs
The disqualified MLAs, especially the Inependents, are 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 has brought down the strength in the 224-member Assembly to 208. The ruling party strength reduces to 105 from 117 and the opposition Congress and JD(S) have a combined strength of 101 (Congress 73 and JD(S) 28). So, BJP with 105 MLAs is all set to pull through (Half way mark now 104).
The Speaker's move comes 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. (Read: Karnataka crisis: Governor steps in, sends advisory to Speaker)
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.
Meanwhile, the Congress MLAs - who were being safeguarded in a Maharashtra resort made their way back to Bangalore. (With PTI inputs)
