The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka, headed by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, on Thursday asserted its majority in the Legislative Assembly, registering a 119-0 victory in a confidence motion.
Before the motion was put to vote, the Congress staged a walkout after giving vent to its anger against the government and the presiding officer, K.G. Bopaiah. The Janata Dal (Secular) too boycotted the proceedings.
The Chief Minister moved a one-line motion: “This house expresses confidence in the government headed by B.S. Yeddyurappa.”
Although it was initially passed by a voice vote, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S. Suresh Kumar pressed for a division, resulting in a head count. The Speaker announced that there were 119 votes in favour of the motion, and none against.
This is the fourth time Mr. Yeddyurappa is winning the trust vote — the first was in June 2008 when the nascent government had to prove its majority. There were two trust votes in quick succession in October last year.
The Congress, with 71 members, and the JD(S), with 26 members in the 225-member Assembly (in which the ruling party has a strength of 122 members), have been demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister and the Speaker in view of the Supreme Court verdict in the case relating to the disqualification of 16 MLAs.
The Opposition maintains that the Supreme Court has passed “strictures” against Mr. Yeddyurappa and the Speaker and they have no moral right to continue in office. The BJP and the Speaker, however, say that only certain observations were made by the Supreme Court.
After winning the vote, Mr. Yeddyurappa told reporters that he decided to move the motion to prove that the government had a majority.
