Didn't press for replacing Karnataka pro tem speaker after live broadcast assurance: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress today said it did not press for the replacement of Karnataka Pro Tem Speaker K G Bopaiah after assurances in the Supreme Court that the trust vote proceedings would be broadcast live.

The Congress-JD(S) combine had challenged in the apex court Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala's decision to appoint BJP MLA Bopaiah as pro tem speaker for holding the floor test for Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to prove his majority in the House.

Addressing a joint press conference, Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented the Congress and the JD(S) in the Supreme Court, said their entire aim of moving court was to ensure transparency during the confidence vote over government formation in the southern state.


Sibal also said whosoever wins or loses in today trust vote "democracy will win".

He also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, "He should also say na kharidunga na kharidane dunga (will neither buy, nor let anyone be bought over).

"The prime minister keeps saying na khaunga na khane dunga (will neither indulge in corruption nor allow it). He should also say na kharidunga na kharidane dunga," quipped Sibal.

There was no question of replacing the pro tem speaker when live proceedings will be telecast and transparency will be ensured, he added.

Singhvi said most of the prayers of the Congress-JD(S) before the court have been accepted.

"The time period for the trust vote was reduced, complete transparency during trust vote was ensured, no secret ballot was allowed and pro tem speaker was disallowed to take any other agenda.

"The achievements of our petition before the court is holding the trust vote in 1.5 days against 15 days allowed earlier," he told reporters.

Asked why did the Congress move the petition if it had to withdraw its pleas, Singhvi said the offer to hold live telecast was given only after our petition.

He described the move of live telecast as "a virtue out of necessity".

Singhvi said, "We wanted safeguards to be in place on our apprehension. In a way most of our demands have been met."