Thaindian News

Bangalore, May 18 (IANS) Karnataka Governor Hans Raj Bhardwaj Wednesday declined for the second time the go-ahead to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to convene the state legislature saying he was waiting for the central government to reply to his special report in which he recommended imposition of President’s rule in the state.

“In response to our request for his consent to convene the legislature to pass the budget for this fiscal (2011-12), the governor told us to wait for a day, as he was waiting for reply from the central government to his special report,” Yeddyurappa told reporters after meeting Bhardwaj at Raj Bhavan over tea.

The governor dispatched the special report late Sunday (May 15) in the context of the May 13 Supreme Court order, which restored the membership of 16 legislators, including 11 from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and five independents who were disqualified by state legislative assembly speaker K.G. Bopaiah Oct 10, 2010 after they withdrew support to the Yeddyurappa government.

“I have not yet got reply from the centre (to my special report). I will give consent for convening the assembly after I receive the response of the central government to my special report. Wait for a day,” Yeddyurappa recalled Bhardwaj telling him when the two met for the first time after three days of hectic political developments in the aftermath of the apex court ruling.

During the meeting, the chief minister told the governor of the urgency of holding the legislature from June 2 for 10 days to pass the state budget so that funds could be released for implementing the various development programmes listed in its proposals.

The chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented a two-part budget Feb 24 in the state assembly, including a separate budget for the agriculture sector and sought a vote-on-account for four months (till June 30) pending the union budget and approval of the state plan outlay by the Planning Commission and the central government.

Since the governor did not give consent to convene the state legislature from May 16 as requested by the state cabinet May 13, the state government renewed the request May 16 seeking his consent to convene the 10-day session from June 2.

“We have announced several seasonal schemes, including ‘Suvarna Bhoomi’ and a programme for de-siltation of tanks, which have to be implemented before the onset of monsoon. As there have been early rains in many parts of the state, it has become imperative to advance the schedule of some of these programmes, which require large spending during the first four months of this fiscal. This will not be possible with the vote-on-account, which allows expenditure on only one-third the budget outlays,” the chief minister said in his representation to the governor.

On the governor’s recommendation to the centre on invoking Article 356 (1) of the Constitution, Yeddyurappa said in light of his government enjoying majority support (121 legislators) after the 11 rebel lawmakers extended their support to his leadership, the question of dismissing the first BJP government in the state did not arise.

“We have conveyed our stand to the president, the prime minister and the union home minister during the last two days that our government commanded majority support in the state assembly and in the changed situation, there was no need to invoke Article 356 or impose President’s rule in the state,” Yeddyurappa said.

The chief minister also recalled the assurance given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh late Monday to a delegation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that ‘no unconstitutional step would be taken in Karnataka’ and that he (prime minister) had not read the governor’s special report.