Speaker Ramesh Kumar disqualifies 14 more rebel MLAs ahead of trust vote on Monday
Bengaluru: Karnataka Assembly speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Sunday disqualified 14 more rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law till the end of the assembly term in 2023, a day ahead of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa seeking the trust vote in the assembly to prove his majority.
Eleven Congress MLAs and three JDS lawmakers faced the axe from the speaker, who pronounced his ruling at a hurriedly called news conference, two days after Yediyurappa took the oath as chief minister after the collapse of the Congress-JDS coalition government.
The Speaker's action would have no bearing on the fate of the Yediyurappa government, as with disqualification of the errant MLAs with immediate effect, their absence would reduce the effective strength of the House, making it a smooth affair for the BJP.
The absence of 20 MLAS--17 rebels, also one each legislator from Congress, BSP and Independent--during the vote of confidence motion moved by the Congress-JDS coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy had led to its downfall after weeks of drama marked by murky political intrigues and court battle.
With the disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs --14 from the Congress and three from JDS -- on Sunday, 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.
"I have used my judicial conscience... I am 100 per cent hurt" said the Speaker, when asked about his controversial decision on disqualification being called into question and allegations about his conduct in the entire issue.
The Speaker's sudden move also comes with indications from the BJP that it was mulling moving a no-confidence against him if he doesn't voluntarily give up the post when the assembly meets on Monday.
Kumar said he was taking the action based on the petitions moved by the Congress and JDS to disqualify the rebel MLAs, who had also submitted resignations as assembly members and were absent during the trust vote sought by the H D Kumaraswamy headed government, leading to its downfall.
He said he had rejected the request by the rebel MLAs to give him four weeks more to appear before him on the issues of their resignations and disqualification plea against them.
The Speaker had made it clear when he disqualified three rebel MLAs earlier that a member disqualified under the anti-defection law cannot contest or get elected till the end of the term of the present House, a contention which has been challenged by the BJP, rebel MLAs and several legal experts.
Reading out the names of errant MLAs, the speaker said, "they cease to be MLAs with immediate effect till the expiry of the 15th assembly (in 2023)," adding, "with responsibility and fear I have taken this decision."
"The way I am being pressurised mentally as Speaker to deal with all these things, I am pushed into a sea of depression,' said an emotional Kumar.
The disqualified MLAs are: Pratap Gowda Patil, B C Patil, Shivram Hebbar, S T Somashekar, Byrati Basavaraj, Anand Singh, Roshan Baig, Munirathna, K Sudhakar and MTB Nagaraj and Shrimant Patil (all Congress).
Other party MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumatalli and Shankar were disqualified on Thursday. JD(S) members who faced action are: Gopalaiah, A H Vishwanath and Narayana Gowda.
The BJP slammed the Speaker's action, calling it "unfair and violative of the law" which, it said, had been taken "yielding to the pressure from a party".
"It is a motivated and defective order," said senior BJP leader Govind Karjol, adding, the rebels would challenge it in the Supreme Court, where they were certain to "get justice."
The MLAs had quit on their own and their resignations should have been accepted, Karjol said. Karnataka Congress welcomed the Speaker's decision to disqualify the rebel MLAs.
"The court of the public will also give the appropriate punishment to these legislators who have betrayed their parties and people who voted them by joining hands with BJP to bring down the coalition government," the party tweeted.
Congress Legislature Party leader Siddarmaiah, in a tweet, termed the Speaker's decision as "a victory for democracy".
"I believe this decision will put an end to the shabby culture of selling oneself by disregarding the public mandate for selfish motives and the greed for power," he said.
JD(S) too, in a tweet, welcoming the Speaker's decision, said, "the Speaker has sent a strong message to those who tried to uproot democracy by disqualifying legislators who fell for allurements of power and money, disregarded public mandate and violated the party whip."
The Speaker justified his pronouncing the order swiftly just a day before the session, saying he had do it in view of the assembly meeting on Monday, where the "specific agenda" was to take up the motion of confidence and pass the crucial appropriation bill.
On the move by the BJP to subject him to the no-confidence motion, the speaker said, "let it come. You will see how I will behave. I will be in the chair...I will discharge my duties...let's see what happens.."
On the disqualification issue, he said, "this cannot be a drama and manipulation" and asserted that he had conducted himself in a "gentlemanly manner" in dealing with the matter.
He said he had also received a complaint against expelled BSP MLA Mahesh, who skipped the trust vote process on Tuesday violating a directive from the party to vote for the Kumaraswamy government.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in its order on Wednesday last gave the Assembly Speaker the freedom to decide on the resignation of the 15 MLAs within such time-frame as considered appropriate by him.
It had also ruled that the rebel MLAs cannot be compelled to attend the assembly proceedings.
The Congress and the JD(S) had sought disqualification under the anti-defection law of the rebel lawmakers who, however, were undeterred by it and skipped the assembly proceedings during the crucial confidence vote Tuesday.
76-year old Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister for a fourth time on Friday in a sudden twist to the protracted high voltage political drama with a big challenge to manage numbers staring him in the face.
Shortly after taking the oath, Yediyurappa had said he would move a motion of confidence in the assembly on July 29 to prove his majority, apparently confident of winning it with the expectation that 16 rebel Congress and JDS MLAs may abstain as they did on Tuesday last, giving him the edge.
He took the oath, two days after the Congress-JDS coalition government crumbled under the weight of a rebellion by a big chunk of its lawmakers, 20 of whom were absent for the voting that led to the defeat of its trust vote by 99-105.
With the MLAs' disqualification, Yediyurappa is expected to have a smooth sail in the Assembly on Monday.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
