BJP legislators raise slogans as Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala addresses the joint session of Assembly on the first day of the Budget Session at Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru. (Source: PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)As many as nine MLAs of Karnataka Congress skipped the first day of the budget session at the state Assembly Wednesday. Among the absent MLAs were — Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh G Jadhav, B Nagendra, Mahesh Kumathalli. They had earlier skipped the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting on January 18 as well, PTI quoted party sources as saying.
The joint session today witnessed unruly scenes as the BJP members created a ruckus questioning the legitimacy of the JD(S)- Congress alliance. Some BJP members even disrupted Governor Vajubhai Vala’s address in the House forcing him to cut short his speech.
Karnataka minister D K Shivakumar criticised the BJP for their unruly behaviour and disrespecting the Governor. He said that their actions were ‘out of frustration’ as they were not successful in forming the government in the state.
On Tuesday, a day before the beginning of the budget session, Congress CLP leader Siddaramaiah had issued a whip asking the MLAs to be present in the House on Wednesday.
Hurt by the no-show, Siddaramaiah issued another whip asking MLAs to ‘compulsorily’ attend the sessions from Thursday till February 15.
The tussle between the JD(S) and Congress combine and BJP continues with parties claiming that MLAs are ready to switch camps and that it could pose a serious threat to the ruling government.
