Varthur’s Last Minute 'Defection' is Icing on Yeddy’s Victory Cake

Gabriel Vaz
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
 
Bangalore, Oct 14: For the second time in three days, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has proved that he enjoys majority in the Legislative Assembly by successfully overcoming the floor test by recording a 106-100 victory.
         
Though the victory secured by ruling BJP in the council of ministers headed by B S Yeddyurappa for the second time on Thursday after the victory through ''voice vote' by disqualifying as many as 16 MLAs comprising 11 from BJP and 5 Independents is subject to the 'final verdict' of the State High Court on the writ petitions challenging the order of the Speaker K G Bopaiah, it is evident that both the Opposition Congress and JD(S) leaders as well as the Governor H R Bhardwaj have suffered a setback.
           
Incidentally, Karnataka Assembly and the Chief Minister have created history through the second floor test in the House within a mere three days --- both on the orders of the Governor. Though the ruling party and the Chief Minister had claimed that they had passed the floor test by voice vote, the Governor had not accepted it and had directed that the Chief Minister can take the offer of a second chance to prove his majority through a proper division of votes.

A confident Chief Minister, who has the luxury of filling up the six vacancies in his cabinet, has promised to go in for another expansion of his ministry shortly - apparently a signal to Varthur Prakash and his staunch supporters like C T Ravi, Sogadu Shivanna and others including possibly B P Harish, Doddanagouda Patil and S K Bellubbi, who returned to support him after briefly flirting with the revolt led by Excise Minister M P Renukacharya, that he will reward those who stood by him in the floor test.

Yeddyurappa also declared that he would change his ways and take everybody with him. The Chief Minister took the opportunity of his victory in the floor test for the second time and went to Raj Bhavan to meet Governor H R Bhardwaj, who had turned out to be his biggest tormentor, with a bouquet as if to rub salt to the latter’s wounds by successfully demonstrating his majority in the Assembly for the second time by taking advantage of the second chance offered.

CM with Governor H R Bhardwaj

Venkaiah Naidu felicitating Varthur Prakash

Celebration time

CM, BJP MLAs greet Speaker

CM addresses MLAs

CM greeted by his daughter-in-law

It may be recalled that the Governor had termed Monday’s floor test by voice vote as a ''farce' as non-members of the House --- MLCs like G Janardhana Reddy, V Somanna, C H Vijayashankar and Dr V S Acharya by virtue of their position as ministers – and even policemen in full uniform and weapons were allowed to enter the House. The Governor had recommended in his report sent on Monday to the Centre for dismissal of Yeddyurappa regime and imposition of President’s Rule in the State.
          
Another significant factor in Yeddyurappa’s victory in the second floor test in the Assembly is the absence of a member each from ruling BJP and opposition JD(S), which indirectly meant that both sides did not suffer because their strength had remained the same as it was before the commencement of the session on Thursday. While BJP member from Lingsugur Manappa Vajjal did not attend the House on Thursday, the ruling party succeeded in getting JD(S) MLA from Channapatna M C Ashwath to abstain. Thus, both sides ensured that there was not a significant difference in their strengths.
           
But first the numbers: The votes in favour of Yeddyurappa were 106 in the 225 member assembly, including the nominated member. The 106 votes secured by the Chief Minister included the crucial last minute ''defection' of Kolar’s Independent member Varthur Prakash, who belongs to the Kuruba community and had openly admitted himself to be a staunch supporter of Congress opposition leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, had extended his ''unconditional support' to the ruling party after its marginal shortfall of numbers in the May 2008 elections. He, however, had dissociated himself from BJP months ago and had joined JD(S). On the eve of the second floor test, he switched his loyalties again and publicly announced his decision to extend support to Yeddyurappa.
           
As against the numbers in favour of the ruling party, which also got the nominated Anglo-Indian member Derrick Fullinfaw – a card carrying member of BJP – to vote in favour of Yeddyurappa, the Congress ensured that all its 73 members and JD(S) could muster the presence of 27 members minus M C Ashwath. Thus, the combined votes polled by both the Congress and JD(S) totals to 100.

However, considering the fact that the High Court’s Division Bench had ruled that the ''proceedings (in the House on October 14, 2010) are subject to the result in the main petition' before it with regard to the writ petitions filed by the 5 Independents and 11 BJP MLAs challenging their disqualification by the Speaker on Monday, October 11 morning, there is further scope for seeking another floor test depending on the High Court’s verdict.
           
In view of the High Court’s stand, it is evident that the second trust vote obtained by Yeddyurappa will be subject to the outcome of the writ petitions challenging the disqualification orders. What the High Court may decide in the disqualification of the 5 Independents and 11 BJP MLAs will be crucial. In the event of the High Court ruling in favour of the Independents and quashes their disqualification, they will be entitled to exercise their vote. Considering their known opposition to Yeddyurappa, the strength of BJP would have been reduced to 105, if Varthur Prakash had not switched loyalities at the last minute on Wednesday evening.  

Considering these factors, it is evident that Varthur Prakash’s ''defection' to the ruling party will be crucial and might well turn out to be the icing on the cake of Yeddyurappa’s second victory.

It is, however, an entirely different matter as to what will be fate of Yeddyurappa regime if the High Court rules that the disqualification of the 11 BJP MLAs was invalid.

Of course, nobody can deny the right of any of the aggrieved parties to challenge the decision of the High Court in the Supreme Court. But, for the time being, however, Yeddyurappa has gained an upper hand and bagged a victory - according to him - for the second time in the trust vote in the Assembly.

Signficantly, the Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah conducted the proceedings in the Legislative Assembly in an orderly, disciplined and systematic manner. There was tight security both inside and outside the Vidhana Soudha. All the MLAs, including those from ruling BJP, Congress and JD(S) as well as officers and media representatives, were not allowed to take their vehicles inside the Vidhana Soudha surroundings and made to walk from the main entrance. The media representatives of both visual and print were also subjected to tight security conditions.

The House commenced its session at the stipulated time of 11 am and the Speaker allowed Opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah to make his submission for demanding the floor test be postponed until the High Court’s final verdict in view of its stipulation that it had held that the outcome would be subject to its decision. But the Speaker, who heard Siddaramaiah, rejected the demand on the ground that the House had been summoned on the specific advice and suggestion of the Governor to the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of the House for the second time.

After the Chief Minister moved his motion seeking the confidence of the House in the Council of Ministers headed by him, the Speaker ordered pressing of division bells after the opposition Congress and JD(S) members demanded it. The ruling party also ensured the presence of its ailing member Ishanna Gulagannavar of Yelburga in a wheel chair and even took the precaution of securing the medical fitness certificate from the BG S Global Hospital to ensure that there were no legal complications.

Unlike the first floor test on Monday, October 11, which was done by voice vote within a couple of minutes, the second floor test on Thursday, October 14, was handled in an orderly and systematic manner by asking the members in favour and against the motion to stand up and register their votes, which were physically counterd by the Legislature staff. The entire exercise lasted 15 minutes.

However, whether Yeddyurappa will continue to stay in power will be known only after the High Court’s verdict on Monday, October 18 or later. It will also decide whether there will be another floor test for the third time this month.