Rebel Karnataka MLAs demand dismissal of Yeddyurappa Govt.

BANGALORE - After B S Yeddyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government survived the ‘Trust Vote’ amid complete chaos in the State Assembly, the rebel MLAs staged a protest outside Karnataka Governor HR Bharadwaj’s residence here on Monday demanding the dismissal of the Government immediately.

“We are going to demand dismissal of this government immediately. The confidence vote is totally illegal. It was not conducted properly in the House. Speaker and CM ran away from the house by announcing voice vote,” said rebel MLA HD Kumaraswamy, while addressing the media outside the Governor’s residence.

Yeddyurappa has misused his power. We will go to the Governor and seek justice from him. We are going to sit in front of his house and have a dharna. Even independent MLAs were prohibited by voting. We are sure that we will get justice,” added rebel MLA Anand Asnotikar.

Speaker K G Bopaiah had earlier today announced in the House that the motion of confidence moved by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has been passed by voice vote.

There was chaos in the Karnataka Assembly today, as eleven BJP and five Independent MLAs, who were earlier disqualified by Speaker K G Bopaiah under the anti-defection law, were restricted from entering the Assembly.

The dissident MLAs broke windowpanes of the Assembly and assaulted marshals to barge into the building.

Speaker Bopaiah had earlier on October 7 served show-cause notices to the dissident MLAs seeking a reason as to why they should not be disqualified under the anti-defection law after they announced their decision to withdraw support to Yeddyurappa Government.

In his order, Bopaiah said these MLAs have been disqualified under the provision of the anti-defection law as envisaged in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

Those BJP MLAs, who were disqualified are: Balachandra Jarkiholi, Belur Gopala Krishna, Anand Asnotikar, Dr Sarvabowma Bagali, V Nagaraju, Raje Kage, Y Sampangi, Nanjundaswamy, S K Bellubbi, H S Shankara Lingegowda and Shivanagouda Naik.

Former Ministers Venkataramanappa, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Goolihatti Sekhar and M P Narendraswamy and independent MLAs were also disqualified.

The disqualification of the MLAs had brought down the strength of the 224-member Assembly to 208. (ANI)