Bangalore: Now, Jagalur Cong MLA Undergoes 'Operation Kamala'
Gabriel Vaz
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Oct 19: After succeeding in 'convincing' JD(S) MLA from Channapatna M C Ashwath, who had abstained himself during the crucial second trust vote won by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa by 106 to 100 votes on October 14, to resign his seat and thereby reduce the strength of the state Assembly, the ruling BJP has 'managed' to ensure that yet another MLA – this time from Congress party – resigns his seat under the controversial 'Operation Kamala.'
The MLA, who gave up his seat won on the Congress symbol during the 2008 assembly polls, is S V Ramachandra of Jagalur assembly constituency in Davangere district.
Police Security at Jagalur MLA's house
Protesting against the ruling party’s move to get opposition MLAs to resign their seats, the Congress legislature party has decided to lay seize to the Chief Minister’s residence on Race Course Road, just a stone’s throw away from Vidhana Soudha, and stage protest dharna. Meanwhile, police security has been beefed up.
Congress opposition leader Siddaramaiah has urged the Governor H R Bhardwaj to intervene and also mobilise nation-wide public opinion against what he termed as BJP’s ''illegal, undemocratic and unconstitutional' methods to continue in power.
Incidentally, Ramachandra has participated in the Assembly during both the floor tests on October 11 and October 14 and was with the Congress and JD(S) opposition parties in opposing the motion of confidence moved by the Chief Minister in accordance with the directive of the Govenor H R Bhardwaj to prove his majority after 20 MLAs, including 7 cabinet ministers, informed him in writing of their decision to withdraw support to Yeddyurappa.
With the resignation of the two MLAs as part of the ''Operation Kamala' to ensure stability to the Yeddyurappa regime, the effective strength of the 224-member Karnataka assembly is now reduced to 206 in view of the disqualification of the 11 BJP MLAs and 5 Independents on the morning of October 11, when the assembly session was summoned for the floor test.
The Division Bench of Karnataka High Court, which heard separate writ petitions filed by the 16 disqualified MLAs on October 11 against the orders issued by the Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah, had posted the petitions pertaining to the 11 BJP MLAs to a third judge following a division between Chief Justice K S Kehar and Justice N Kumar, who constituted the Division Bench.
The Division Bench had also referred the petitions pertaining to the disqualification of the 5 Independents before another bench and posted it for November 2, obviously in view of the split in the verdicts by Chief Justice Kehar and Justice Kumar with regard to the disqualification of the 11 BJP MLAs.
However, the Division Bench had refused to stay the disqualification orders issued by the Speaker as it held that there was no mala-fide or other violations with regard to the due process of law.
With the High Court refusing to intervene or stay the Speaker’s orders on disqualification, the Chief Minister continued to stay in power as he enjoyed a slender 6 vote margin, excluding the vote of the Speaker, who also technically belongs to BJP.
Significantly, the ruling BJP had ''managed' to lure Independent MLA, Varthur Prakash, who had extended unconditional support soon after the 2008 assembly elections along with 5 other Independents and later dissociated himself and joined JD(S). Like the Jagalur Congress MLA Ramachandra, Varthur was also with the JD(S) during the first floor test on October 11.
Given the marginal difference in the combined strengths of Congress and JD(S) and BJP, which could always be susceptible to pulls and pressures, the ruling party had taken it upon itself to ensure that its position does not become vulnerable yet again. The state BJP President K S Eshwarappa has gone on record to make it clear that the party had no qualms about resorting to ''Operation Kamala' yet again to increase its strength by bringing down the number s of Congress and JD(S) MLAs.
There are unconfirmed reports in political circles that BJP is targeting at least a dozen ''friendly’’ Congress and JD(S) MLAs by persuading them to resign their seats and offer them ministerial positions or chairmanship of Boards and Corporations with cabinet ministerial status and perks besides even offers of huge sums of money.
The Congress opposition leader Siddaramaiah has publicly accused Yeddyurappa and the ruling BJP of ''luring' opposition MLAs by offering ministerial berths and money to the tune of Rs 50 crore each.
It may recalled that the Chief Minister had himself alleged that the opposition parties had succeeded in turning a section of his party MLAs and Independents against him by offering money to the tune of Rs 25 to 30 crore each.
The more number of Congress and JD(S) MLAs, who undergo ''Operation Kamala,' the better it is for Yeddyurappa and the ruling BJP as its position in the assembly becomes that much stronger while the numbers with opposition parties come down.
Under normal circumstances, the seats becoming vacant should face by-elections within six months and the same persons are eligible to contest again from a different party or as Independents. But there is no bar on these ex-MLAs from becoming cabinet ministers and holding power for six months, the outer limit by which they are required to become members of either house of the state legislature.
If the same persons manage to win again from BJP, the ruling party’s position stands to get much stronger. Even if BJP fails to win the seat and the opposition parties succeed in retaining it, they will be forced to toil hard and spend heavily. Besides, the prospects of fielding common candidates by the opposition against BJP are bleak as had been proved in the last several by-elections and it is another factor in favour of the ruling party.
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