BENGALURU:
The 3-day old B S Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka collapsed today, with the chief minister announcing his decision to resign without facing a trust vote.
The Supreme Court had yesterday ordered a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly at 4 PM today, drastically slashing the 15-day window given by Governor Vajubhai Vala to BJP Chief Minister Yeddyurappa to prove his majority.
“I am going to resign as chief minister….I will go to Raj Bhavan and submit my resignation. “I will not face confidence vote….I am going to resign,” he told the Assembly after a brief emotional speech.
Yeddyurappa said he would now “go to the people”.
His resignation will pave the way for formation of a government led by JD(S) state chief H D Kumaraswamy, who has the backing of the Congress. The newly formed alliance has claimed support of 117 MLAs in the 224-member House with an effective strength of 221.
Polling for two seats was not held due to various reasons, while Kumaraswamy won from two places.
The Supreme Court today ordered live telecast of the floor test in the Karnataka Assembly where Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has to prove his majority.
The floor test was scheduled for 4 pm. “Live broadcast of floor test will be the best possible way to ensure transparency in the proceedings,” a bench comprising justices A K Sikri, S A Bobde and Ashok Bhushan said.
The bench also made it clear that no other item in the agenda shall be taken up during the trust vote. The bench said secretary of the Legislative Assembly will record the proceedings of the House.
It said that several local channels will be provided the live feed of the proceedings so that they can also be in a position to telecast simultaneously. The bench termed as “fair” the suggestion of Karnataka governor’s counsel that the floor test be telecast live.
The bench passed the order after recording the statement of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the Karnataka government and Governor Vajubhai Vala. After the ASG’s statement, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Congress-JD(S) combine, which had last night filed a petition challenging the appointment of BJP MLA K G Bopaiah as pro tem speaker by the governor for conducting the floor test, did not press for the prayers.
Hours before the floor test of the B S Yeddyurappa government in the Karnataka assembly, the Congress released two audio tapes one of the Chief Minister and another of BJP leaders Sriramulu and P Muralidhar Rao in which they are purportedly trying to lure a Congress MLA into the party fold. Yeddyurappa, in a telephonic conversation to MLA B C Patil, is heard saying, “Don’t go to Kochi, come back. We’ll make you a minister and help you in whatever way you want.” Similar Sriramulu is also heard offering bribe to bring Patil and four other Congress MLAs into BJP.
The call was reportedly made to the MLA when all the elected Congress leaders were being shifted to a resort in Kochi after the Governor invited Yeddyurappa to form the government and prove majority within 15 days. Patil, who told Yeddyurappa that he has confidence in the chief minister, said that he has three more MLAs under his influence.
