Bangalore, Jan 30 (DHNS): The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) are set to train their guns on Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah over the recent caustic observations by the Supreme Court against him in the Legislature session which commences on Monday. The apex court had recently observed that Bopaiah’s order to disqualify five independent MLAs in 2010 was “in bad faith.”

The Congress, the principal Opposition party, has been demanding Bopaiah’s resignation on the issue. The Congress decided to take it up in a big way during the session along with the JD(S). The session will commence at 12:15 pm with Governor H R Bhardwaj’s address to members of both Houses.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has, however, strongly defended the Speaker saying that he had only used the power that was vested in him. Nevertheless, the issue will come as a major embarrassment to the BJP government, which is already facing a threat of rebellion by a disgruntled faction led by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

Bopaiah in October 2010 disqualified 16 MLAs, including five independents and 11 ruling party MLAs, for withdrawing their support to the government. The apex court, however, quashed the Speaker’s order subsequently. Recently, the Supreme Court observed that the Speaker’s disqualification order with respect to five independent MLAs was “in bad faith,” and that he disqualified them to help the ruling party win the trust vote in the House.

Though the Congress has said it will move a no-confidence motion against Bopaiah, it is unlikely to happen as the motion notice has to be submitted at least 14 days in advance as per the rule book.

As the session has been convened for only 10 days, the notice, even if it is submitted on Monday, is going to lapse.

The Congress had made an attempt to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker in the last session held in December 2011. Then, too, the notice lapsed.

Last year, opposition parties had created ruckus over the issue of alleged the involvement of  Yeddyurappa in the denotification scam, forcing the governor to stop reading his speech. The governor had, instead, tabled the speech in the House.

Sources said the opposition parties are not likely to go to the extent of disrupting the governor’s speech, but they are mostly likely to oppose Bopaiah’s presence on the occasion. Most leaders of the opposition parties are likely to hold an informal meeting before the commencement of the session to finalise their strategy.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said his party will insist on Bopaiah’s resignation. Bopaiah does not have moral right to continue in the post after the critical remarks of the apex court, Siddaramaiah stated. Siddaramaiah said he would seek JD(S) cooperation on the issue.

Besides, the opposition parties are likely to take up the issue of delay in the appointment of Karnataka Lokayukta and lapses in implementing drought relief works in the State.