After the fiasco over the no-confidence motion moved against Legislative Council Chairman K. Prathapachandra Shetty in the winter session of the legislature, the BJP and JD(S) have given another notice to move the motion in the upcoming joint session, which will commence on Thursday.
Attempts by the BJP and the JD(S) to unseat the Chairman on December 15 had led to acrimonious scenes after the Chairman rejected the notice on the grounds that it did not state any specific reason for moving it. “Notice has been given by both parties separately again to move the no-confidence motion,” JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti, who is the most senior member of the Council, confirmed.
However, sources said that the Chairman cannot be removed without the post of Deputy Chairman being filled. That post is now lying vacant after the death of JD(S) member S.L. Dharme Gowda. Incidentally, Dharme Gowda allegedly committed suicide citing the December 15 fracas in the Council where he was pulled around as he sat on the Chairman’s seat. While Congress members tried to unseat him by dragging him, BJP members pushed him back on that day.
Meanwhile, the Council Secretariat has announced January 28 as the date for filing nominations by members wishing to contest for the post of Deputy Chairman. Depending on the number of candidates in the fray, the election dates will be notified, sources said. “In all probability, it will be unanimous,” a source said.
Mr. Horatti said, “Only after the election of a Deputy Chairman can the Chairman step down — if he wishes to — by tendering his resignation. Otherwise, we will see whether the Chairman will allow the motion of no confidence or delay further.”
Congress sources said that since the party does not have numbers in the House, Mr. Shetty was likely to resign after the new Deputy Chairman is elected.
It may be recalled here that an interim report of the House Committee that went into the turn of events on December 15 was submitted to Mr. Shetty last week. It is learnt to have blamed, among others, the then Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy. The leader, however, has said that the committee itself was “null and void”. The committee was headed by senior member Marithibbe Gowda and included B.K. Hariprasad and R.B. Thimmapur. BJP members A.H. Vishwanth and S.V. Sankanur had withdrawn from the committee soon after it was constituted by the Chairman.
