Shettar calm in the midst of storm

‘My government is safe; there is no threat from any quarter’

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar appeared to be unmoved by the attempted resignation of 13 legislators, including two Ministers on Wednesday. He said his government was safe and there was no threat from any quarter.

Addressing a press conference at the helipad near Sonna village in Gulbarga district on Wednesday, Mr. Shettar said all the legislators of the BJP were emotionally and physically with him and the party and there was no instability in the government.

Reacting to the outburst of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa against him, Mr. Shettar said such outbursts only expose his weakness and desperation. Asked whether he would resign or dissolve the Assembly in view of the threatened resignations of 13 legislators, Mr. Shettar said such a situation would not arise as he enjoyed majority in the Assembly. To a question on whether he would seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly before the presentation of the budget to prove his majority support, Mr. Shettar quipped: “If the need arises for seeking vote of confidence, I will consider it then.”

Mr. Shettar said there was no change in the schedule of the Assembly session to be held on February 4 and Governor H.R. Bhardwaj would address the joint session as the scheduled day. “The 2013-14 State Budget and Agriculture Budget will be presented on February 8.”

Appearing calm and unperturbed by the political developments in Bangalore, Mr. Shettar said he had completed the process of consulting various trade organisations, farmers and other sections of society to include their views in the budget.

He said he had held in-depth discussions with officials of various departments before finalising the budget proposals.

On a query, Mr. Shettar said he would not be committing constitutional impropriety by presenting a full-fledged budget. As head of the duly elected government, he was only discharging his constitutional responsibility. On whether he or the others in the government had any role in Speaker K.G. Bopaiah’s sudden trip and his inability to accept the resignation letters of the legislators and Ministers, Mr. Shettar said the government had no role in Mr. Bopaiah’s trip.