Karnataka Assembly Speaker disqualifies 16 rebel MLAs

BANGALORE: Sixteen rebel MLAs, including eleven from ruling BJP, were disqualified on Monday by Karnataka Speaker ahead of the crucial trust vote in the Assembly.

Speaker K G Bopaiah signed the disqualification order last night after firing a strong missive to Governor H R Bhardwaj contesting his directive to him not to change the configuration of the House and maintain status quo on its strength as on October six, Assembly secretariat sources said.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will face the trial of strength in the state Assembly today under a surcharged atmosphere triggered off by disqualification of 16 rebel MLAs, including 11 BJP men, by the Speaker.

A beleaguered Yeddyurappa, whose government has been reduced to a minority following withdrawal of support by 19 MLAs-- 14 BJP and five independents--will be moving a one-line motion seeking the confidence of the House under a directive from Governor H R Bhardwaj.

Following the disqualification of 16 MLAs, the effective strength of the 224-member Assembly has been reduced to 208, with the ruling side commanding the strength of 108 as against the combined opposition strength of 101. Congress has 73 members and JDS 28.

There is a lone independent Varthur Prakash in the House, besides a nominated Anglo Indian member.

The Governor has said yesterday in his letter to the Speaker that any decision that emerged in the House from a vitiated proceedings will not be acceptable to him.

Bhardwaj had communicated to the Speaker not to change the configuration of the House strength and maintain status quo as on October sixth, the day rebels submitted him a list of 19 MLAs withdrawing support to the BJP government.

The rebel MLAs had withdrawn support to the government on October 6.

In his order, Bopaiah said these 16 MLAs have been disqualified under the provision of the anti-defection law as envisaged in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

Those BJP MLAs who were disqualified are: Balachandra Jarkiholi, Belur Gopala Krishna, Anand Asnotikar, Dr Sarvabowma Bagali, V Nagaraju, Raje Kage, Y Sampangi, Nanjundaswamy, S K Bellubbi, H S Shankara Lingegowda and Shivanagouda Naik.

Former ministers Venkataramanappa, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Goolihatti Sekhar and M P Narendraswamy and independent MLAs have also been disqualified.

With this action, Bopaiah has brought down the strength in the 224-member Assembly to 208. The ruling party strength reduces to 106 from 117 and the opposition Congress and JDS have a combined strength of 101 (Congress 73 and JDS 28).

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa would be moving the motion of trust vote in the Assembly which starts at 1000hrs.

Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy, who is spearheading the oust BJP government campaign reacted sharply to the disqualification charging that the BJP government has adopted "anti-democratic" methods to survive in power.

Jarkiholi, one of the disqualified MLA, said the rebels would challenge the Speaker's decision and approach the Governor. The Independent MLAs may also move the court.

The Governor had yesterday shot off an advise under Article 175 (2) of the Constitution, asking the Speaker not to change the character of the House and ensure that all members participate in the trial of strength.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will move a one-line motion seeking the confidence of the House.

The action of Governor H R Bhardwaj, whose directive has been treated with contempt by the Speaker, would now be keenly watched.

The first ever BJP government in the South had been toying with the idea of bringing down the effective strength of the House to ensure a smooth sailing for itself during the trust vote.

Bhardwaj had said if there was any alteration in the numbers ignoring his directive, his decision would be final.

The process of Yeddyurappa seeking the trust vote to prove his government's majority as per his direction should be held as per law, the Governor had said.