HC ruling may decide BSY govt's fate today

BANGALORE: The ruling BJP and Karnataka opposition parties are getting ready for the final bout after the high court order on the MLAs. Although chief minister B S Yeddyurappa won the second trust vote last week, the opposition parties contend that the last word on the crisis has not been heard.

The Karnataka HC had reserved its order on the disqualification of the 11 BJP MLAs and it will resume the hearing on the five independent MLAs on Monday. The independents, meanwhile, have filed an additional application to amend a mistake in the main petition. As BJP chief whip D N Jeevaraj and BJP state spokesperson C T Ravi opposed this, they were told to file objection to the amended application. After they file the objections on Monday, the HC may hear the arguments. While all the parties are waiting for the judgment, it may or may not be given on Monday.

Meanwhile, strategizing has reached a crescendo, with leaders of all the parties holding talks and consulting their advocates to devise the course of action. On Saturday, JD(S) boss H D Kumaraswamy and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah met Union law minister M Veerappa Moily. On Sunday, Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah held talks at the residence of former Union minister C M Ibrahim. To prevent its flock from being poached by the BJP, the JD(S) has kept them huddled and moved them from a resort near Bidadi to another resort off Tumkur Road because the MLAs wanted a change of scene.

On Sunday, former solicitor general Soli Sorabjee, who is representing the Karnataka government in the high court, flew down to Bangalore and held discussions with Yeddyurappa's legal adviser Diwakar.

OPTIONS POST-VERDICT

Regardless of the judgment, the issue is likely to reach the Supreme Court. Either of the aggrieved parties (government or the dissident and independent MLAs) may go in for appeal

If the HC quashes the order disqualifying the MLAs (BJP dissidents and independents), the opposition parties along with the dissidents and independents may meet the governor, HR Bhardwaj, parade the MLAs and ask him to dismiss the government

If court quashes the order disqualifying the MLAs, the opposition parties may go ahead pressing for their demand to impeach the Speaker

If the court quashes the order disqualifying the MLAs, the opposition may officially move a no-confidence motion. The last time, it was governor Bhardwaj who had asked the CM to prove majority. The opposition hadn't given a formal request for no-confidence motion.