Whip issued to Cong-JDS MLAs ahead of budget session
Bengaluru, Feb 5: Amid allegations of renewed bid by BJP to destabilise the Kumaraswamy ministry, a whip was issued to all MLAs of ruling JDS-Congress coalition Tuesday to be present in the state assembly during all days of the budget session commencing Wednesday and vote in favour of the government.
The issuance of the whip is seen as a move by the ruling coalition to pre-empt any plans of disgruntled Congress MLAs on the radar of BJP to stay away from the assembly and pose a threat to the stability of the government.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who also holds the finance portfolio, said his government was stable and he would present a good budget and deliver good administration despite a few people trying to create hurdles.
The whip issued by the Government's Chief Whip Ganesh Prakash Hukkeri read: "...you (MLAs) have to be present in the House mandatorily from February 6 to 15 every day, from the time the Speaker starts the proceedings to till the time he concludes, and vote in favour of the government.
It has been issued in the backdrop of reports that the Congress MLAs who had skipped the legislature party meeting last month might stay away from the assembly.
Expressing doubts about budget presentation on February 8, senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashok had claimed 20 to 25 disgruntled MLAs of the alliance were out of the reach of their leaders and the coalition government was in a 'coma'.
The BJP had on Sunday said it was not averse to moving a no-confidence motion during the budget session.
Former chief minister Siddaramaiah had Monday alleged BJP was offering Rs 50 crore each to Congress MLAs to switch sides, a charge rejected by the saffron party.
State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa has said his party was not attempting to topple the government and asked the Congress and JDS to keep their flock together.
State Congress Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao Monday said action would be taken against legislators if they violated the whip.
Kumaraswamy, responding to questions from reporters here Tuesday, said BJP leaders were in illusion.
"Let them continue to be in illusion... I will do my duty... screen will be lifted tomorrow, you will get all information, he added.
Rubbishing reports raising questions about the longevity of the government and budget presentation, Siddaramaiah, who is also the Coalition coordination committee chief, said the government would complete its full term.
Nothing will happen to this government for five years...the session will go on smoothly and the budget will be presented. The government was solid as rock, he said.
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Cong to distribute over 40 lakh pamphlets focused on 'Mahalakshmi' scheme
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress is set to step up its outreach to women ahead of the sixth and seventh phases of the Lok Sabha polls with plans in place to distribute more than 40 lakh pamphlets focused on its proposed "Mahalakshmi" scheme under which Rs 1 lakh will be given every year to a woman from a poor family, sources said.
In a video message, Sonia Gandhi had said last week that women of the country are facing tough times in the wake of a "severe crisis" and the party's proposed 'Mahalakshmi scheme' for them will help change their lives.
"The Congress' 'Mahalakshmi' scheme guarantees that we will give Rs 1 lakh every year to a woman from a poor family," she had said in her video message.
Sources said the Congress is all set to distribute more than 40 lakh pamphlets with key focus on "Mahalakshmi" scheme in poll-bound constituencies across the country ahead of the sixth and seventh phases.
Addressing a rally here on Saturday, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi spoke about the Mahalakshmi scheme the party intended to bring if the INDIA bloc came to power.
"We will make crores of lakhpatis. Under the scheme, a list of all families living below the poverty line will be drawn and a woman will be chosen from each family and the INDIA bloc will give them one lakh rupees in a year by depositing Rs 8,500 per month," he had said.
At a public meeting earlier, Gandhi had said that on July 1, when the poor women will check their accounts, they will find that Rs 8,500 have 'magically' been deposited.
And this will happen on the first of every month, he had said.
Sources said it was during Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, that several women met Gandhi and shared their grievances with him, and after that the Congress came up with the Mahalakshmi scheme.
Mahalakshmi scheme is among the main five guarantees that the Congress has promised.
"The Congress resolves to launch a Mahalakshmi scheme to provide Rs 1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family as an unconditional cash transfer. The poor will be identified among the families in the bottom of the income pyramid," the Congress manifesto has said.
The sixth phase of the Lok Sabha pills will be held on May 25 while the seventh and final phase will be held on June 1.
The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
