Is Karnataka heading for President's Rule?

BANGALORE/NEW DELHI: On a day of fast-paced developments, Karnataka today appeared headed for President's rule after Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa won a controversial confidence vote in the Assembly following disqualification of 16 MLAs and the Governor recommending central rule.

Governor H R Bhardwaj sent his report to the Centre calling the events and the vote in the Assembly as "unconstitutional" and "farce" and that the state should be brought under President's rule.

His action came after Yeddyurappa won a confidence vote in the Assembly in a controversial manner amid pandemonium and after disqualification of 16 rebel MLAs by Speaker Bopaiah just a few hours before the proceedings.

In unprecedented scenes, police was brought into the Assembly to control the situation that went out of hands with police and marshals clashing with the legislators.

Opposition Congress and JD(S) cried foul and demanded dismissal of the government, alleging that the Speaker had acted like "an agent of the Chief Minister".

Stepping in, the Governor sent his report to the Union Home Ministry in which he is understood to have noted that Speaker's action in disqualifying 16 MLAs--11 of BJP and 5 Independents-- was unconstitutional and had vitiated the proceedings.

The Union Cabinet is meeting tomorrow during which it is expected to consider the Governor's report. The Union Home Ministry has expressed concern over developments in Karnataka, especially the "abuse" of the anti-defection law by the Speaker.

Sources said the Cabinet will meet in the evening tomorrow by when the Karnataka High Court may have given some view on the petition filed by disqualified MLAs challenging the action against them.

The Congress Core Group, headed by Sonia Gandhi, met at the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed the situation arising out the developments in Karnataka.

Highly placed party sources said the only option for the government appears to be that the state goes in for a spell of President's Rule in view of the clear recommendation of the Governor.

Home Ministry sources said there was no no question of disqualifying Independents under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution or for that matter the dissident BJP MLAs even before the vote.

The Speaker's decision to disqualify the dissident MLAs and ban their entry into the House came early in the morning in an apparent move to bring down the number required for the ruling party to prove its majority.

Amid scenes of pandemonium, Yeddyurappa moved the confidence vote and "won" the trial of strength vote as high marked the proceedings when Bopaiah declared the motion of confidence passed by a voice vote.