Karnataka Governor Bhardwaj claims he has fulfilled all obligations

NEW DELHI - Against the backdrop of growing political drama in Karnataka, Governor HR Bhardwaj on Tuesday made a slew of charges against B S Yeddyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in the State asserting that he fulfilled all his duties and obligations, but the Chief Minister failed to discharge his responsibility towards the constitution.

“I have fulfilled all my obligations not towards BJP, but towards the government. The Chief Minister failed to discharge his responsibility towards the Constitution. I called upon the Chief Minister, but he has not responded yet,” said Bhardwaj in an interview to ‘Times Now’.

“In no way am I accepting the majority claimed by the BJP in yesterday’s trust vote. The whole procedure was conducted illegally and unconstitutionally,” he added.

Governor Bhardwaj had earlier today written to Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa asking him to prove his majority again on the floor of the Assembly by 11 a.m. on October 14.

In his letter, Bhardwaj said the trust vote on Monday was improper and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government had failed to prove majority.

Bhardwaj said he was ready to give Yeddyurappa one more chance to demonstrate his majority in the Assembly.

Bhardwaj’s fresh move is being seen as one to ease pressure on the Centre before a meeting of the Union Cabinet this evening. The meeting is likely to discuss the Karnataka crisis.

Karnataka High Court had earlier in the day resumed hearing on the petition challenging the disqualification of 16 MLAs by Speaker K G Bopaiah.

They were disqualified hours before the controversial trust vote won by the Yeddyurappa Government in the Assembly on Monday.

Bhardwaj had on October 10 written to the Speaker, asking him to conduct the trust vote on October 11 on the basis of the party positions as on October 6 - with the BJP at 116, the Congress at 73, the JD (S) at 28, Independents at six and the Speaker.

After the trust vote on Monday, Bhardwaj, had, in a report to the Centre, described the vote as “a farce” and recommended the President’s rule.

Earlier, a one-line motion moved by Yeddyurappa was passed, even as the House witnessed unprecedented scenes with the opposition Congress and the JD (S) refusing to accept the outcome.

Before the trust vote, the Speaker disqualified 16 rebel MLAs, including 11 from BJP under the provision of the anti defection law.

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)