Karnataka assembly may dissolve today

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Assembly is likely to be dissolved on Tuesday as the Parliament has adopted resolution on imposing President's rule in the state.

The proclamation of bringing Karnataka under President's rule and keeping the Assembly under suspended animation to pave the way for dissolution of the House and fresh elections was moved by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in the Lok Sabha yesterday, which was passed by a voice vote.

On November 20, President's rule was imposed in the State by the Union Cabinet for the second time in less than two months. The decision was taken following Governor Rameshwar Thakur's report in the wake of resignation of BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa from the post of chief ministership.

Yeddyurappa resigned following JD (S), coalition partner of the BJP in the State, decided to oppose the confidence motion in the State Assembly, thereby turning the government into a minority within a week of his taking oath.

This was the second time the Central rule was imposed in the State.

On October 9, the Central rule was imposed after the BJP had to withdraw its support from the coalition as the JD (S) failed to live up to its promise to hand over the power to Yeddyurappa as per the agreement reached between the two-parties twenty months ago.

In the present State Assembly, the BJP has the highest number of legislators with 79 MLAs, followed by the Congress with 65 MLAs, which excludes the eight other members led by former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who broke away from the JD (S) to join the Congress.

Kumaraswamy led JD (S) has officially 57 members in the legislature, but its strength is down to 48 after Siddaramaiah's defection. The smaller parties and independents only add to 17 in the 224-member Assembly.