Ruckus in Karnataka Assembly after BJP leaders claim 'no govt' in protests

There was total pandemonium in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday as BJP shouted slogans and staged a walked out in the midst of Governor Vajubhai Vala's speech, claiming that the incumbent JD(S)-Congress alliance government is a minority government.

Soon a commotion ensued, as opposition parties, led by the BJP, protested that the government does not have the requisite numbers as more than nine MLAs were absent on the first day of the Budget Session. “There is no government at all; there has been no development activity at all since the last five to six months which is why we boycotted the Governor’s speech," BJP's Karnataka chief BS Yeddyurappa told media.

The former chief minister claimed that there was unrest in the Congress ranks and files, saying: “More than 20 Congress MLAs openly told in the legislature party meeting that they are not going to accept Kumaraswamy as the chief minister of Karnataka”. “We are not going to move a no-confidence motion.  We are going to meet our MLAs now in a legislature party meeting; we will take an appropriate decision there. We're waiting and observing everything,” Yeddyurappa added.

BJP MLA B Sriramulu said that his party will continue its protest. “We will meet the Governor and submit a memorandum to dissolve this government as it is a minority government. There were 15 Congress MLAs absent today. We are also thinking to move no-confidence motion after discussing with our leaders. That is the reason we protested and we will protest tomorrow and day after tomorrow as well,” he said.

However, Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar, in response to a media query on the issue of the no-confidence motion, brushed it aside and said: "Let them try". He expressed disapproval to the BJP legislators' attitude towards the Governor's speech.

Kumaraswamy had last month accused the BJP of continuing its efforts to poach MLAs and claimed that one of his party's legislators was offered a huge sum of money under the saffron party's 'Operation Kamala’.

Allegations and counter-allegations of poaching erupted on January 14 when Congress leaders alleged that three of their MLAs were taken to Mumbai by the BJP in an attempt to lure them to their fold. This was followed by two independent MLAs - R Shankar and H Nagesh - withdrawing their support from the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state.

Meanwhile, the BJP had refuted all such allegations and asserted that legislators are trying to leave the JD(S)-Congress coalition due to internal fights.

(With inputs from agencies.)