Bangalore, Feb 4: The Karnataka legislature Monday began the last session of its five-year term with the BJP ministry hoping to survive on a wafer-thin majority and getting the budget for the next year approved.
The 10-day session got off in an orderly manner with Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's customary address to the joint sitting of the assembly and the legislative council.
The assembly session is the last as elections to the 225-member house are due in May. Polls will be held to elect 224 members and one seat is filled by nomination.
The quiet beginning belied speculation that opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular would demand that Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar first prove his majority as 14 ruling party members have quit the assembly and the resignations of two more members were pending with the speaker.
The 14 resignations have reduced the strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to 106, including the speaker, in the assembly. The BJP has the support of one of the seven Independents who is a cabinet minister. The nominated member is also a BJP member.
The combined opposition strength, including the six independents, stands at 103.
If Speaker K.G. Bopaiah accepts the two pending resignations, the BJP will be down to 104, including the speaker.
Among the 14 who have quit the assembly and the BJP are party's former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and 12 of his supporters in the party.
The two pending resignations with the speaker are also from Yeddyurappa's supporters.
Opposition parties have been vociferous in demanding that Shettar should quit and not present the budget for 2013-14 not only because his majority is in doubt but also because elections are due in May. But Shettar is determined to present the budget Feb 8. "There is no threat to my government. I will present the budget as scheduled," he told reporters after the governor's address.
Leader of opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah of the Congress said that though the Shettar ministry "technically" enjoys majority, it "has lost moral right to stay in office and present the budget".
However, he said, the Congress would not move a no-confidence motion as it does not have the numbers. The party has 71 members in the assembly.
Besides, Siddaramaiah said, it would be like "flogging a dead horse".
In his address, Bhardwaj said the financial status of Karnataka was sound since tax revenues had doubled over the last five years. "Tax revenue is 10 percent of the gross state domestic product (GSDP), which is among the highest in the country," the governor said.
Noting that the plan size had increased by 2.5 times during the BJP government, Bhardwaj said the per capita plan expenditure of Rs.6,810 was among the highest in India.
"There is no threat to the government. On February 8 I am going to present the budget. Nothing to worry", he told reporters after Governor H R Bhardwaj's address to the joint state legislature session here.
Shettar said he would welcome constructive criticism and suggestion from opposition parties, when his attention was drawn to opposition criticisms on his government.
Days ahead of the session, 13 rebel BJP MLAs loyal to former Chief Minister and Karnataka Janata Party president B S Yeddyurappa had submitted their resignations from the House membership to Speaker K G Bopaiah, who accepted 12 and rejected one on technical grounds.
One more BJP MLA had submitted his resignation on Feb 1, but its fate is yet to be known.
The development posed no threat to the six month-old Shettar ministry as the effective strength of the 224-member House has been reduced with 12 more seats falling vacant in addition to the two earlier.
With the acceptance of resignation of 12 MLAs, the BJP now has a strength of 105, Congress 71, JDS 26, independents seven (one of whom is supporting the Government and is in the Ministry) and the Speaker.
Earlier post:
Karnataka Assembly's Budget Session today; uncertainty looms over government fate
Bangalore, Feb 4: Amid uncertainty over its fate due to resignation of party MLAs loyal to B S Yeddyurappa, the BJP government is bracing itself to face the crucial Budget Session on Monday, the last one of the 13th Assembly term.
The BJP government led by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, surviving on a wafer thin majority following resignation of 14 MLAs in the last one week, faces a threat in the backdrop of threat by Yeddyurappa loyalists to quit.
However, the chief minister allayed fears of any threat to his government. Mr Shettar said, "I am smoothly running the govt. I will present the budget on February 8. Constructive criticism, suggestions by the Opposition are always welcome."
Governor H R Bhardwaj will address both Houses of the Karnataka legislature today, outlining the policy initiatives of the government for the year.
"The Speaker will meet me. I have already told you that no political party has given any information on resignations and these people also have not approached me... it is happening outside Raj Bhavan," Mr Bhardwaj said.
However, fireworks could be on cards in the coming days as Opposition Congress and JD(S) will question the government's continuance despite losing majority.
The en masse resignation of MLAs, former minister Shobha Karandlaje's charge that government has "failed" to check attacks on women and on girls reported missing across the state are expected to generate much heat.
Mr Shettar, who will be presenting his maiden Budget on February 8, which will also be the last by the BJP government as assembly elections are likely in April-May, will have a tough job on hand to sail through the session.
MLAs and Ministers loyal to Mr Yeddyurappa have so far not spelt out their strategy, but BJP feels they may not pose any problem.
The government's fiscal performance in implementing programmes announced in the 2012-13 budget and also the tardy phase of drought relief work would become major issues for the opposition to embarrass the government.
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