Bengaluru: A majority of legislators of the BJP, the principal Opposition in both Houses, are opposed to disruption of proceedings when CM H.D. Kumaraswamy presents the budget on Friday.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, leader of Opposition in the Council Kota Srinivasa Poojary, said: “The BJP has not yet decided whether to continue the dharna on Friday or not, but party will take an appropriate decision, keeping in mind the question of public interest. Presentation of the budget is the prerogative of the government, so one cannot oppose it. Our intention of resorting to dharna for two days was just to expose the fact that the government has lost majority in the Legislative Assembly. So we have succeeded in our attempt to bring it to the notice of the people,” Mr. Poojary explained.
He said state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa would take a call on whether to cooperate with the government during presentation of the budget or not.
Sources in the party, however, maintained that a majority of MLAs disagreed to the prospect of a dharna during presentation of the budget. If the party continues its adamant stand of disrupting the proceedings, it would definitely send a wrong signal to the people, remarked a senior legislator. “If we are hundred percent sure about collapse of the H.D. Kumaraswamy government, there is meaning in disrupting the proceedings, but here there is no such development. According to me, no meaning in continuing dharna in the House when collapse of the government seems unlikely. We have many issues to be raised in the House. There are many issues on which we can corner the government. On the other hand, the government does not want few issues to be discussed. If we disrupt the proceedings, it will benefit the government," the legislator added.
Sources said a majority of BJP MLAs want smooth conduct of the budget session and specific answers from the government in public interest.
Mr Poojary said the Opposition seems unlikely to disrupting the proceedings.
