Karnataka CM wins vote, Speaker resigns post

Bengaluru: Karnataka politics came full circle on Monday, 11 days after former chief minister H.D Kumaraswamy moved a confidence motion in the state Assembly on July 18 — which he ultimately lost — with his successor, BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa winning the trust vote, bringing the curtain down on a tumultuous phase of intrigue, acrimonious exchanges, defections and a not so subtle display of money and muscle power.

Sources said the expansion of the Yediyurappa Cabinet is now likely to happen by the weekend after getting the nod of the BJP’s central leadership. Soon after the new Spe-aker’s election that has been set for Wednesday, Mr Yediyurappa is expected to fly to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and working president J.P. Nadda, with sources saying he has already prepared a list of probables which will be discussed with the top abrass.

In a tactical move to keep the rebels’ flock together, Mr Yediyurappa is planning to induct 15 to 18 ministers in the first round, keeping 15 posts vacant for the disqualified rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs who have moved the Supreme Court against their disqualification. The new CM is keen on inducting senior MLAs who have won their seats four or five times, sources said, add-ing that Jagadish Shettar, C.M. Udasi, Govind Karjol, J.C. Madhu-swamy, K.S. Eshwarappa, B. Sreeramulu, Aravind Limbavali,  Suresh Kumar, R. Ashok, Vishve-shara Hegde Kageri and Independent MLA Nagesh could make the cut this time.

The day witnessed another major development — Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar, who gave a landmark ruling disqualifying 17 Congress and JD(S) MLAs, resigned from his post after the trust vote. Mr Kumar, who is from the Congress, was criticised by the BJP for his decisions prolonging the debate on the trust vote of former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy and for the disqualification of the rebel MLAs. His resignation came amid reports that the ruling BJP was mulling moving a no-confidence motion against him.

Sources said the BJP has finalised former Speaker K.G. Bopaiah once again for the Speaker’s post. Mr Bopaiah will file his nomination on Tuesday and an election will become necessary if the Congress and JD(S) put up a common candidate. Otherwise, he will be elected unopposed.

Meanwhile, two rebel Congress leaders, Ramesh Jarkhiholi and Mahesh Kumtalli, moved the Supreme Court challenging their disqualification as MLAs. They sought quashing of the July 25 order of disqualification by Mr Ramesh Kumar. A second petition by R. Shanker, an Independent MLA who was also disqualified, is likely to be filed on Tuesday.

The political drama in the state actually started on July 1 when Hosapete Congress MLA Anand Singh  resigned after by a flurry of resignations by Congress and JD(S) MLAs, leading to the collapse of the coalition government and the replacement of Mr Kumaraswamy by Mr Yediyurappa on Friday.

On Monday, when Mr Yediyurappa moved the confidence motion, neither the Congress nor JD(S) pressed for a division of votes, knowing quite well that they did not have the numbers on their side and the motion was approved by a voice vote.

In the Assembly, which now has a truncated strength of 207 (excluding the Speaker) after the disqualification of 17 MLAs, the BJP has 106 legislators (including the support of one Independent) while the Congress-JD(S) combine has only 100 MLAs.

Mr Yediyurappa is sure to have a longer tenure this time after he made an ignominious exit last year when he could remain CM for only four days with the Congress and JD(S) striking a pact to unseat him. Soon after winning the trust vote on Monday, he said he would provide corruption-free governance and also  made it clear that he would not resort to vindictive politics against his opponents. A decade ago, when he was CM, his tenure was marred by allegations of illegal mining and land denotification scams with the veteran leader even forced to go to jail for a few days.

The new CM, however, did not forget to take potshots at his predecessor, Mr Kumaraswamy, remarking that governance had come to a standstill in the past 14 months. “My priority is to bring governance on track, within six months I will provide  pro-farmer and pro-poor welfare measures. I have three years and 10 months of my tenure left and I will work tirelessly for the welfare of the state,” he pledged. “The state is facing severe drought, there is deficit rainfall in more than 80 taluks, and my priority is to look into the needs of farmers,” Mr Yediyurappa explained.

Former CM and CLP leader Siddaramaiah opposed the trust vote motion, asserting that the BJP had no mandate to rule the state. “When this government was unethically installed by defector MLAs of the Congress and JD(S), will they allow the BJP to provide a stable government”, he wondered.

Taking a jibe at the new CM’s assurance to remit `4,000 in farmers’ accounts under the PM’s Kisan Samman Yojana and waiver of weaver loans,  Mr Siddaramaiah claimed he had promised these welfare measures in his last Budget, which were however not implemented.

Former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy had a piece of advice for the new CM — he did not have to resort to Operation Lotus any more since he had a majority to run the government! Hitting back at the CM’s remark on the collapse of government machinery during his tenure, he said the CM could access documents about the performance of the coalition government and also shot another salvo. “I am satisfied with my performance, I don’t need a certificate from you,” he said.