"100 per cent I will prove my majority," says Yediyurappa on eve of trust vote
Bengaluru, Jul 28: A day ahead of seeking the trust vote in the Karnataka assembly, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday expressed confidence about proving the majority.
He also said that the finance bill prepared by the previous Congress-JD(S) government would be tabled by him in the assembly on Monday, without any changes.
"On Monday hundred per cent I will prove the majority," Yediyurappa told reporters here.
The finance bill (appropriation bill) needs to be passed "urgently", as otherwise "we will not be able to draw funds even to pay salaries," he said.
"So tomorrow after moving the confidence motion,we will first take up the finance bill.
I have not even changed a comma or full stop in it. I will be tabling the finance bill prepared by the (previous) Congress-JD(S) government," he added.
Yediyurappa, who assumed the office of Chief Minister on Friday had announced that he would seek the trust vote on Monday.
Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar on Sunday disqualified 14 more Congress-JD(S) rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law, taking the total tally of disqualified legislators to 17, which will not have any direct impact on the Yediyurappa government's trust vote on Monday.
The effective strength of the 224-member assembly excluding the Speaker, who has a casting vote in case of a tie, is 207.
The magic figure required will be 104.
BJP, along with the support of one independent, has 106 members, Congress 66 (including nominated), JD(S) 34 and one BSP member, who has been expelled by the party for not voting for the Kumaraswamy government during the trust vote.
The 14-month-old Congress-JDS coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy collapsed on Tuesday after losing the vote of confidence in the assembly in a climax to the three-week long intense power struggle.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
K'taka Cong to protest against replacing MGNREGA, 'hate politics' in National Herald case
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the ruling Congress in the state will hold protests against the central government's move to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and the alleged "hate politics" against the party leadership in the National Herald case on December 17.
The state Congress president said that the protest led by him and CM Siddaramaiah will be held in front of Gandhi state at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, and similar protests will also be held at all district and taluka centres of the state.
The party also plans to raise the issues in the state legislature here.
"The agitation has become necessary. Tomorrow at 9.30 am, the chief minister, myself, all ministers, MLAs and MLCs will stage a protest in front of the Gandhi statue. Everyone will participate," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the protests will also be held in all district and taluk centres including Bengaluru, and there is also a plan for a programme on Saturday, details of which will be shared later.
"In Assembly too there is a need to discuss this and for it to go into records, we are making preparations for it....the protest is against removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from MGNREGA, and against the hate politics towards Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders," he added.
The Congress' move, came as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
Also, a court in Delhi on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
Alleging that Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were "harassed" in connection with the National Herald case, Shivakumar said several people, including him, had given funds to help the party related organisation, and they too were being troubled.
"My brother D K Suresh (former MP) and I were supposed to appear before the Delhi police in connection with the National Herald case. We had written a letter to them seeking a FIR copy. Chargesheet was filed by ED in the case without an FIR," he claimed.
Pointing to the Delhi Court's decision, the Deputy CM said, "This is proof that the legal system in the country is still alive. This also proves that the power is being misused (by those in the central government) to harass political opponents."
Highlighting that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru started the National Herald in 1937, and that it is Congress' property, Shivakumar, questioning the validity of the ED case, said, "As Congress presidents (in past) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had their shares, it was not their own. Similarly, if we as Congress workers don't donate to the party organisation, who else will?"
Shivakumar also said that the move to rename MNREGA is with an intention to "insult" Gandhi and to weaken the scheme by reducing its funding.
