Bangalore: Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa Back DVS in Filing Papers for Council
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Dec 12: Ending all the speculation over the attempts by former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to prevent his successor D V Sadananda Gowda from contesting the forthcoming election to the State Legislative Council on December 22, the ever-smiling Chief Minister filed his nomination papers backed by Yeddyurappa, State BJP President K S Eshwarappa and all the ministers on the last day for doing so.
Sadananda Gowda, who started the day by seeking divine blessings, filed the nomination papers before the designated returning officer Om Prakash accompanied by Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa and several cabinet colleagues and ruling party MLAs.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress party fielded Anand Gaddadevarumath as its candidate to force an election and try to cause problems for the ruling BJP by enlisting the support of the JD(S) members as well as the help of former minister Sriramulu and other disgruntled elements in BJP. The Congress party is also trying to fish in troubled waters in the event of Yeddyurappa deciding to create problems for Sadananda Gowda.
In the 225-member legislative assembly, including the nominated Anglo-Indian member, the strength of the ruling party is 121 including Speaker K G Bopaiah and Independent member and Textiles Minister Varthur Prakash.
The principal opposition Congress party has 71 members and JD(S) has 26 members. There are another six independents, including former minister B Sriramulu, who resigned his membership and quit BJP to become an MLA as an Independent from the Bellary Rural Assembly constituency with a resounding victory.
The Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha member Sadananda Gowda, who succeeded Yeddyurappa following his resignation in the wake of the Lokayukta final report on illegal mining and was sworn in on August 4, has to get elected as a member of either house of state legislature within six months of being sworn-in to continue in his post as per the constitutional provisions.
Though the Congress party is determined to try its best to defeat Sadananda Gowda and bring down the BJP government, the Chief Minister confidentally asserted: ''I have special trust in our MLAs. I am 100 per cent sure that they will for vote for me.”
Another factor on which the Congress party seems to be banking upon is Sriramulu’s claim that he enjoys the support of at least 22 BJP MLAs. But Sriramulu has made it clear that he would not ask the BJP MLAs, who owed their allegiance to him, not to vote against the ruling party as they were elected on BJP ticket.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa has caused the political pundits to raise their eyebrows by appealing to JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, Congress Opposition leader Siddara-maiah, KPCC President Dr G Parameshwar and the newly elected independent Sriramulu to ensure Sadananda Gowda’s ''unopposed victory.”
Yeddyurappa recalled the unanimous election of Deve Gowda to Rajya Sabha after he became the Prime Minister in 1996 and hoped that a similar gesture would be extended in the State Assembly for Sadananda Gowda. He reiterated that he has already telephoned all the opposition leaders, including Deve Gowda, Dr Parameshwara, Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah.
The JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda has already pointed out that his party has already decided not to field its candidate in the council election.