With the disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs, there will be no hurdle for the newly elected Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to prove majority in Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar today disqualified 14 legislators, 11 from Congress Party and three from Janata Dal (S). Earlier, last week he had disqualified two other Congress rebels along with an independent who had tendered resignation to their seats triggering the fall of JD(S)-Congress government in the state just after 14 months rule.
With this the strength of the 225-member Karnataka Assembly has fallen to 208 and with the BJP having its own strength of 105 and another independent member supporting it, will face no problem to prove its majority.
With the combined strength of Congress (66) including Speaker and the JD(S) (34) reduced to 100 and the BJP has a clear edge over the opposition in the house.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has been asked to prove his majority by the Governor Vajubhai Vala and now this will be mere formality.
The Speaker after disqualifying the rebels said in the press conference that the house would take up the Finance Bill for the year 2019-20 immediately after the floor test.
Following the decision of the Speaker, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Siddramaiah said, “I will welcome the Speaker’s decision. It is a historic decision wherein the democratic values are upheld”.
However former minister and the senior BJP leader, Govinda Karajol, had termed the decision of the Speaker as “unlawful and cannot sustain the test in the court of law”.
He also brought to the notice that the Supreme Court in its interim order had said the dissident MLAs should not be forced to attend the Legislative Session.
H Vishwanath, one of the disqualified members, in his reaction said that “Speaker had taken a partisan stand on the issue, and it would be questioned in the Apex court”.
(UNI)
After 17 rebels disqualified, Yeddyurappa poised to sail through Confidence motion
