Bangalore, October 06: The BJP Government in Karnataka today plunged into crisis after it was reduced to a minority with 19 MLAs withdrawing support, prompting Governor H R Bhardwaj to ask Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to prove his majority in the Assembly before October 12. The first-ever saffron Government in the South was rocked by the action of 19 MLAs–14 from BJP and five Independents–who revolted against Yeddyurappa”s leadership disatisfied with the recent cabinet expansion and gave a letter to the Governor withdrawing support to him.
The MLAs included seven ministers of whom four were Independents who were sacked earlier in the day. In the 224-member Assembly, BJP and Independents together had a strength of 123 and with today”s developments it has been reduced to 104 reducing the ruling party to a minority.
BJP requires the support of 113 members to prove its majority. BJP earlier had 117 MLAs including the Speaker, followed by Congress 73, JDS 28 and independents six.
Acting quickly to save his 29-month-old government, Yeddyurappa dangled the carrot of ministry reshuffle with immediate effect to appease the rebels and assured another exercise next year to induct new faces. In a firefighting exercise, he also rushed mining magnate and Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy to pacify the agitated MLAs, who are camping near Chennai.
Interestingly, Reddy had led the dissident campaign against Yeddyurappa not long ago. The dissident MLAs said Yeddyurappa”s “dictatorial” attitude and their “utter neglect” were responsible for their decision.
Minister for Fisheries Anand Asnotikar and Minister for Animal Husbandry P M Narendra Swamy, who was among those sacked, deputed by the rebels, called on Bhardwaj and submitted the list of the MLAs who withdrew support. With the 19 MLAs withdrawing support reducing the ministry to a minority, Bhardwaj directed Yeddyurappa to prove his majority on the floor of the House on or before October 12 by 5 pm.
Earlier, anticipating trouble Yeddyurappa recommended to the Governor to dismiss four ministers — Shivaraj Tangadagi, D Sudhakar, P M Narendra Swamy and Venkataramanappa from the ministry, which was accepted by Bhardwaj. These four elected as independents had lent their support to Yeddyurappa after the BJP fell short of majority after the assembly elections.
Apart from the four axed ministers, other ministers who joined the rebels are, M P Renukacharya, now leading the dissident group, Asnotikar and Balachandra Jarkiholi. Yeddyurappa, who mounted a blistering attack on JDS and Congress for “attempts to topple” his government, however said he will meet the Governor this evening to discuss the political crisis and was yet to communicate the date on which he would face the trial of strength.
Varthur Prakash, an independent had withdrawn his support to the government a few months ago. To prove majority in the House.
—PTI—