The beleaguered Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yeddyurappa will once again seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly on Thursday, October 14, as sought by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj.
Mr. Yeddyurappa announced this here late on Tuesday evening after a day-long meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party's core committee. After the morning session, party leaders could not arrive at any decision. BJP organising secretary Ramlal said: “We will take a decision after the verdict of the Karnataka High Court on disqualification of rebel MLAs becomes known.” However, after the second round of consultations in the evening, a decision was taken to accept the Governor's offer for, by then it became clear that the court verdict would come the earliest by October 18 and the BJP government had a chance to be home on October 14.
On Tuesday, the High Court declined to pass an interim order permitting the BJP rebels to participate in Thursday's trust vote. As for the five independents, the court adjourned the hearing on their plea to October 18.
Asked about the charges levelled by the Governor that his government was corrupt, the Chief Minister said he would respond “after the vote of confidence.” The party's central leaders are preparing to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to complain about the “partisan stance” of the Governor, who should be “immediately recalled.”
Party leaders here were happy that the delay in the High Court verdict had helped them “upstage” the Governor. It suited the BJP high command to accept the lifeline of a second trust vote offered to its government by Mr. Bhardwaj through a letter to the Chief Minister. Since the strength of the Assembly will remain reduced by 16 — the number of MLAs disqualified — Mr. Yeddyurappa was confident he would pass the floor test.
Initially, Mr. Yeddyurappa was reluctant to answer a question on the strength of his party but later said it stood at 108 in a House of 208 plus the Speaker.
“I have requested the honourable Speaker to convene the House again on October 14. I am going to seek a vote of confidence. I am confident of winning the trust vote as I did on October 11. … I am pained that the Governor's report recommended President's rule in spite of my proving majority in the face of serious provocation by the Janata Dal (Secular),” the Chief Minister said, reading from a statement.
The decision came after it became clear that the High Court verdict on disqualification will come later. Party leaders admitted privately that it was decided to grab the chance of a second trust vote. Earlier, some party functionaries did admit privately that the vote of confidence sought and won on October 11 was not exactly in order and not quite in sync with the rule book. That day only party president Nitin Gadkari hailed it as a victory of democracy. Other leaders remained silent.
The core committee meetings were chaired by Mr. Gadkari.
