Karnataka Governor hints at asking CM to prove majority

BANGALORE: Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj today indicated that he might ask Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly in the wake of 13 ruling BJP MLAs announcing their decision to quit the House membership.

"I have already summoned the assembly on February 4 (for Budget session) and if I feel that this government has come into minority, then I will order him (Shettar) to prove his majority at the first instance before transacting any business," Bhardwaj told reporters here.

Seeking to push the government into a crisis, 13 MLAs loyal to Karnataka Janata Party chief B S Yeddyurappa had gone in a delegation on Wednesday to meet Speaker K G Bopaiah to submit their resignation from assembly membership but in vain as he was not in station. Enraged over this, they had submitted copies of their resignation letters to Bhardwaj.

The governor said he has received letters (copies) from Yeddyurappa and also the MLAs.

Bhardwaj said the Chief Minister would "possibly" meet him today and "so I will confront him with what has been given to me (assembly records) and if necessary I will ask him to prove his majority."

"In the meantime, I have dictated my orders that this is a split in the political party of the BJP. So you study the relative strength of the party in the assembly. But assembly records were not with me. Therefore, I summoned the records. So I will see what is the strength.."