Thaindian News

Bangalore, Oct 10 (IANS) On the eve of Karnataka’s 29-month-old B.S. Yeddyurappa government’s trust vote, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj and assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah were embroiled in a war of words through letters Sunday on the disqualification of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rebels.

With the stage set for a showdown in the 225-member lower house between the ruling party and its 13 rebel legislators, a beleaguered Yeddyurappa made last-ditch efforts to prove his majority and save the party’s first government in the southern state.

On representations made by the Congress and the JD-S, Bhardwaj directed Bopaiah not to disqualify the 10 BJP rebels before the trust vote was taken up in the house at 10 a.m.

Warning the speaker of constitutional action if his directive was violated, Bhardwaj also told Bopaiah to maintain the status quo of the assembly as on Oct 6 when the present political crisis broke out after 19 dissident lawmakers, including 14 BJP legislators and five Independents withdrew support to the government.

“All the 224 legislators should be allowed to participate in the session when the confidence motion is taken up Monday,” the governor told the speaker in the letter.

Asking the speaker to ensure a free and fair floor test, the governor further said no attempt should be made to change the character or configuration of the house after it was summoned for a specific purpose.

“Any attempt to change the character or configuration of the house in the run-up to the vote of confidence motion, is bound to vitiate the proceedings,” the governor said.

Observing that the process of Yeddyurappa seeking the trust vote to prove his government’s majority should be held as per law and his direction, Bhardwaj asserted that in the event of alteration in the numbers ignoring his directive, his decision would be final.

Expressing dismay over the letter and its tenor, Bopaiah wrote to Bhardwaj that he need not be told how to conduct the proceedings and that the governor had no role to play in the functioning of the legislature.

“I know my responsibilities and assure you to conduct the session in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the state legislative assembly. I know my job but don’t know what role you have in the house proceedings,” Bopaiah asserted.

The ruling party also criticised the governor’s letter and threatened to complain to the president against his ‘undue interference’ in the constitutional function of the legislature.

“We will ask the President to call back the governor, who exceeding his authority by questioning the speaker’s prerogative and the rules governing the house proceedings,” Rural Development Minister and former speaker Jagdish Shettar told reporters here later.

The governor’s letter was in response to speaker’s show-cause notice Friday to 11 BJP legislators to explain by 5 p.m. Sunday, why they should not be disqualified under the anti-defection law for indulging in anti-party activities.

Replying to the speaker’s letter through their lawyers, eight of the rebels said they could be disqualified from the house membership in accordance with the state legislative assembly rules, which stipulate seven days time to respond to the notice and not two days given to them.

“The speaker comes into picture only in the assembly if members defy their party whip and vote against the confidence motion and not on the grounds of indulging in anti-party activities,” a rebel legislator told IANS on phone.

With three more BJP legislators - S.K. Bellubbi, Shivanagouda Naika and Manappa Majjala joining the rebels Saturday, the strength of the ruling party is reduced to 103 from 117, including speaker, and 10 less than the half-way mark of 113 required to win the trust vote.

The opposition Congress has 73 members in the house and JD-S 28, while independents are six.

Meanwhile, all the three parties (BJP, Congress and JD-S) have issued a three-line whip to its legislators to be present in the house and vote in accordance with the respective party’s decision.

With the countdown for the D-day underway, majority of the BJP and JD-S legislators are camping in two different resorts on the outskirts of the city, while about 60 Congress lawmakers are returning from Pune via Mumbai by midnight.