Karnataka crisis: BJP wants trust vote on Monday
Bengaluru, Jul 13: The BJP will press Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to seek trust vote in the Assembly on Monday, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa said Saturday.
The former chief minister asserted that the Congress-JD(S)coalition government has lost majority and its collapse was imminent.
In a surprise move amid the existential crisis faced by his government, Kumaraswamy had on Friday announced in the state Assembly that he had voluntarily decided to seek a trust vote to end the "confusion" caused by resignations of rebel MLAs and requested the Speaker to fix time for the same.
Yeddyurappa said Saturday that the Chief Minister "must move the confidence motion Monday itself".
"Monday morning at Business Advisory Committee meeting we will advise that Chief Ministers commitment should be fulfilled," he said.
According to sources, at the Business Advisory Committee meeting on Friday Kumaraswamy had proposed that the trust vote be held on Wednesday.
However, no decision was taken as the principal opposition BJP did not attend the meeting.
The coalition government, which has been shaky since it came into being last year after a post-poll arrangement in the wake of a hung verdict, is facing a serious crisis now with 16 MLAs -- 13 of the Congress and three of the JD(S) -- resigning their assembly membership.
Besides, two independent legislators, who were made ministers recently to provide stability to the government, have quit the ministry and withdrawn support.
Pointing out that Kumaraswamy has clearly lost majority with the resignation of 16 MLAs and two independents withdrawing support, Yeddyurappa said it was better for him to resign and allow a new government to take over to work for the people of the state.
"The Chief Minister himself has said in the Assembly that without the support of MLAs, he would not like to continue and hence would be moving a motion seeking trust vote.
"Let us wait till Monday, if he is going to move confidence motion we have no objection. We will wait till Monday," he added.
The Supreme Court, hearing a petition by ten of the 16 rebel MLAs, had on Friday restrained Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar from taking any decision till next Tuesday on the resignation and disqualification of the legislators.
Yeddyurappa said, along with ten MLAs, five more MLAs- MTB Nagaraj, K Sudhakar, Munirathana, R Roshan Baig and Anand Singh-- have also moved the Supreme Court regarding delay in acceptance of their resignation by the Speaker, and it may also be taken up by the court on Tuesday.
To a question about the Congress trying to persuade rebel Congress MLA Nagaraj to withdraw his resignation, the BJP leader said when the legislator himself has moved the apex court and when the plea has been admitted, "I don't think he will go back".
"Some people may have tried to put pressure. I heard that D K Shivakumar (Congress Minister) was at his residence since 5 am. I feel that as they have produced affidavit before the Supreme Court, Nagraj or Sudhakar cannot go back and they will not go back," he added.
With Congress intensifying efforts to woo back its disgruntled MLAs Saturday, Nagraj has hinted that he might consider withdrawing his resignation and also said he would try to persuade others.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa visited his party MLAs who are camped at a resort on the outskirts of the city.
He held discussions with the MLAs on the current political developments and had lunch with them, party sources said.
The BJP on Friday had decided to move its MLAs to the resort near here amid fears of poaching bid by the ruling Congress-JD(S) combine after Chief Minister announced he would seek a trust vote in the assembly.
Earlier, Yeddyurappa termed Kumaraswamy's decision to seek trust vote as a "conspiracy" to halt further exodus of coalition MLAs.
"Chief Minister Kumaraswamy's statement seeking trust vote is part of systematic conspiracy to stop more people (MLAs) from quitting due to confusion within the Congress-JD(S). So, there is no meaning for seeking trust vote. Let him show the courage and do it.
"We will welcome it. The atmosphere is favourable for us. It is certain that this government will collapse in few days," he asserted.
The ruling coalition's total strength is 116 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37 and BSP-1), besides the Speaker.
With the support of the two independents, the BJP has 107 MLAs in the 224-member House, where the half-way mark is 113.
If the resignations of the 16 MLAs are accepted, the coalition's tally will be reduced to 100.
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
