Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri on Thursday admitted a notice on no-confidence motion given by the principal Opposition Congress against the BJP government in Karnataka.
The Speaker informed the Assembly that he would allot time on Friday or Saturday for a discussion on the no-trust notice signed by 23 Congress members.
As soon as the House met after paying rich tributes to Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi, who succumbed to COVID-19, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah raised the issue of notice on non-confidence motion and said the State government has lost confidence of the House and urged the Speaker to give a priority for debate on the no-trust motion.
“When the House has no confidence in the government, how will you continue”, Mr. Siddaramaiah said and demanded the Speaker to take up the no confidence motion discussion first before taking any other issues.
Countering the claims made by Mr. Siddaramaiah, Revenue Minister R Ashok said the Congress has no mandate in the state as well as in the country. “The notice on non-trust motion is nothing but political gimmick”, he said.
The government has majority and it was ready to prove majority in the House. But many members of the Congress already quit the party and many would quit soon. “We don’t know how many will remain in the Congress”, Mr. Ashok said.
When Mr. Askok stood up to table Bills, H K Patil (Congress) said the government should not be allowed to table bills after the Speaker admitted the notice on non-trust motion. Mr. Kageri termed Mr. Patil’s suggestion as his personal view and allowed Mr. Ashok table two bills in the House.
CLP meeting
Earlier, M.r Siddaramaiah chaired a meeting of the Congress Legislator’s Party (CLP) and decided to move the no-confidence motion against the government. He claimed that the government has lost people’s confidence and alleged that family members of Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa were indulged in corruption.
Speaking to mediapersons, the Congress leader alleged that the corruption was rampant in the purchase of equipment related to COVID-19 and purchase of laptops. There was no transparency in the administration. The Chief Minister’s son Vijendra has been interfering the administration. While the financial condition of the State has gone for a toss, the development works have come to a standstill in the State, Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged.
D. K. Shivakumar, who is also the KPCC president, spoke about corruption in the government and said the party was serious in moving the no-trust vote against the government.
It is stated that AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala suggested the state party leaders to move the no confidence motion against the government. On Wednesday, Mr. Surjewala alleged about corruption in the Yediyurappa government and sought the Chief Minister’s resignation.
