Karnataka floor test today at 4 pm: BS Yeddyurappa has to prove majority
New Delhi/ Bengaluru/ Hyderabad: B S Yeddyurappa will face a floor test on Saturday, barely 55 hours into office, after a Supreme Court order truncated the 15-day window the Governor gave him to prove majority, a hurdle he can clear only by engineering defections, or making MLAs of the JD(S)-Congress combine to resign or abstain from voting. The apex court fixed the time for the floor test at 4pm.
Experts said the BJP had two options to make the numbers: Get 16 Opposition MLAs to resign or abstain from voting, or secure the defection of seven legislators. Resignation of 16 lawmakers would bring down the number required for victory during the trust vote to 103, one less than what the BJP has.
Accusing the BJP of poaching on Opposition MLAs, the Congress on Friday released a purported audio conversation between mining baron Janardhana Reddy and a Congress MLA to back its claim.
Karnataka Congress and JD(S) MLAs who reached Hyderabad on Friday morning left for home in the night to vote in the Assembly on Saturday.
Mr Yeddyurappa has already appealed to the Congress and JD(S) MLAs to vote according to their conscience, an expression used by Indira Gandhi in 1969 when she indirectly called upon Congress lawmakers to ensure the defeat of Neelam Sanjiva Reddy in the presidential election. V.V. Giri, the unofficial nominee backed by Ms Gandhi had then become the President.
There were unconfirmed reports of Lingayat MLAs of the JD(S)-Congress alliance being in touch with the BJP, and Vokkaliga MLAs in the saffron party cosying up to the combine owing to caste sentiments.
Another legal battle was on the cards over the appointment of BJP MLA K.G. Bopaiah as the pro-tem speaker by Governor Vajubhai Vala. Usually the senior-most member of the Assembly is appointed making Congress’ R.V. Deshpande qualified for the post.
What the SC said
1 The bench turned down Yeddyurappa’s request for a secret ballot during the floor test.
2 It also directed the Karnataka government and the Governor not to nominate any MLA from the Anglo-Indian community to participate in the floor test .
3 The bench asked the newly elected government not to take any major policy decision till it proves majority in the House.
4 It made it clear that it would deal with the constitutionality of the Governor’s letter inviting Yeddyurappa to form the government later.
5 The top court said the pro-tem speaker will take decisions in accordance with the law on the issue of floor test.
