SiddaramaiahWITH SEVEN Congress MLAs continuing to skip the Budget Session on Thursday, BJP MLAs disrupted House proceedings, claiming that the state government lacked majority. Hitting back, the Congress dared the BJP to bring a no-confidence motion against its alliance government in Karnataka.
“The BJP is disrupting the Assembly proceedings because it has failed in its attempts to poach our MLAs. Let them move a no-confidence motion if they think the government is in a minority,’’ said Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister and leader of the Congress party in the State Assembly.
He said he had issued a whip to the party’s 80 MLAs to attend the Budget Session, from February 6 to 15. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) is scheduled to present the Budget on Friday.
“I am an eternal optimist and I am sure all the MLAs will come for the Budget Session. We have a CLP meeting on Friday and many will attend the meeting. Action will be initiated against those violating the whip,’’ Siddaramaiah said after the House proceedings were adjourned.
The BJP, which disrupted the Governor’s address on Wednesday, staged protests on Thursday too, leading to adjournment of the House. State BJP president and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly B S Yeddyurappa said his party would not move a no-confidence motion but would continue to protest against the absence of coalition MLAs from the House.
“We are staging protests because we have no confidence in a government whose MLAs are missing, and there is infighting between the coalition partners. There is, however, no question of moving a no-trust motion,’’ he said.
The BJP said the absence of seven Congress MLAs was a sign of infighting. “There is infighting in the Congress and the absence of MLAs is a consequence of this,’’ BJP general secretary C T Ravi said.
The JD(S) accused the BJP of flouting democratic norms. “Since the time Yeddyurappa was unable to become the CM, the BJP has been trying to disrupt the government. They have no regard for democratic norms and are only after power. Why would they disrupt the Governor’s speech,’’ JD(S) Minister G T Deve Gowda said.
On Wednesday, seven Congress MLAs and a JD(S) MLA were absent from the House.
