Bangalore/New Delhi:
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's cup of woes seems to be spilling over. Emboldened by the Supreme Court, on Friday, quashing their disqualification by the Karnataka Speaker last year, rebel MLAs have now huddled in New Delhi to discuss their strategy against the Chief Minister. The legislators are holding hectic political parleys with the senior BJP leadership.
The 16 rebel MLAs - 11 from the BJP and five Independents - had been disqualified by Speaker, K.G. Bopaiah, under anti-defection laws in October last year just ahead of the trust vote.
With their removal, Mr Yeddyurappa just about survived his vote of confidence.
But, with the rebel MLAs - especially from the BJP - back in business, his government is in serious danger of collapsing. The legislators, though, indicate that they are very much with the party. But, they could well seek Mr Yeddyurappa's ouster as the chief minister as a condition for support to the party.
The state government, though, put up a brave face.
"The government is strengthened day by day and there is absolutely no question of anybody asking for a floor test or to say that the government has lost majority", said state BJP spokesperson Dhananjaya Kumar.
Meanwhile, the Opposition too has upped the ante calling for the resignation of the Chief Minister and the Speaker following the apex court's order.
Speaking to reporters in the national Capital, JD(S) leader and Mr Yeddyurappa's bête noir, H D Kumaraswamy said, "I request the BJP High Command to dismiss Yeddyurappa and remove the Speaker from the post, because particularly, the role of the Speaker was criticised in the Supreme Court judgement...On the basis of yesterday's Supreme Court judgement, he (Speaker) has to take moral responsibility and he has to step down."
The Congress too demanded the dismissal of the state government.
"We have already sent a memorandum a few days back for dismissing this government on so many issues like mining, denotofication and administration. But now there is another issue which is much, much bigger in the history of Karnataka politics...the Supreme Court judgement. On that pretext, we will definitely demand the removal of this government", said state Congress chief G Parameshwara.
Calling the Supreme Court judgement as a "stricture against the Chief Minister and the Speaker", Karnataka Governor, H R Bhardwaj, warned of immediate action against the state government.
The warning came after Mr Bhardwaj met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and reportedly discussed the future course of action against the BJP Chief Minister.
Appearing to suggest a trial of strength for the BJP government in the wake of the apex court order, Mr Bhardwaj said, "I had advised floor test (in October). It should be taken on the respective strength of the party without bringing them down. They (BJP government) resorted to exactly the opposite...The Supreme Court restored the status quo. I have to study the case law and the ramifications of the order and put it to the (state) government."
The Supreme Court had on Friday revoked the rebel MLAs disqualification. (Read: Major jolt for Yeddyurappa from Supreme Court) They will now be allowed to attend the Assembly session starting Monday.
The 16 MLAs had earlier appealed to the Karnataka High Court against the Speaker's decision. When they lost their case, they brought their complaint to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court's order has further deepened the crisis that Mr Yeddyurappa is facing given the slew of corruption charges against him and his family over land deals. The Chief Minister allegedly favoured his family members, allowing companies linked to them to acquire land that was meant to be used for public projects.
The 16 rebel MLAs - 11 from the BJP and five Independents - had been disqualified by Speaker, K.G. Bopaiah, under anti-defection laws in October last year just ahead of the trust vote.
With their removal, Mr Yeddyurappa just about survived his vote of confidence.
But, with the rebel MLAs - especially from the BJP - back in business, his government is in serious danger of collapsing. The legislators, though, indicate that they are very much with the party. But, they could well seek Mr Yeddyurappa's ouster as the chief minister as a condition for support to the party.
The state government, though, put up a brave face.
"The government is strengthened day by day and there is absolutely no question of anybody asking for a floor test or to say that the government has lost majority", said state BJP spokesperson Dhananjaya Kumar.
Meanwhile, the Opposition too has upped the ante calling for the resignation of the Chief Minister and the Speaker following the apex court's order.
Speaking to reporters in the national Capital, JD(S) leader and Mr Yeddyurappa's bête noir, H D Kumaraswamy said, "I request the BJP High Command to dismiss Yeddyurappa and remove the Speaker from the post, because particularly, the role of the Speaker was criticised in the Supreme Court judgement...On the basis of yesterday's Supreme Court judgement, he (Speaker) has to take moral responsibility and he has to step down."
The Congress too demanded the dismissal of the state government.
"We have already sent a memorandum a few days back for dismissing this government on so many issues like mining, denotofication and administration. But now there is another issue which is much, much bigger in the history of Karnataka politics...the Supreme Court judgement. On that pretext, we will definitely demand the removal of this government", said state Congress chief G Parameshwara.
Calling the Supreme Court judgement as a "stricture against the Chief Minister and the Speaker", Karnataka Governor, H R Bhardwaj, warned of immediate action against the state government.
The warning came after Mr Bhardwaj met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and reportedly discussed the future course of action against the BJP Chief Minister.
Appearing to suggest a trial of strength for the BJP government in the wake of the apex court order, Mr Bhardwaj said, "I had advised floor test (in October). It should be taken on the respective strength of the party without bringing them down. They (BJP government) resorted to exactly the opposite...The Supreme Court restored the status quo. I have to study the case law and the ramifications of the order and put it to the (state) government."
The Supreme Court had on Friday revoked the rebel MLAs disqualification. (Read: Major jolt for Yeddyurappa from Supreme Court) They will now be allowed to attend the Assembly session starting Monday.
The 16 MLAs had earlier appealed to the Karnataka High Court against the Speaker's decision. When they lost their case, they brought their complaint to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court's order has further deepened the crisis that Mr Yeddyurappa is facing given the slew of corruption charges against him and his family over land deals. The Chief Minister allegedly favoured his family members, allowing companies linked to them to acquire land that was meant to be used for public projects.
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