Zeenews Bureau
Bangalore: Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj was on Friday asked the Jagadish Shettar led BJP government in the state to prove majority on the floor of the House by February 04.
The Governor’s directive came after the state government was reduced to minority following the revolt 13 MLAs loyal to former CM BS Yeddyurappa.
Chief Minister Shettar had met the Governor today and claimed that he had the numbers and could prove his majority in the house.
The 13 MLAs had planned to quit their Assembly membership but were left in the lurch as the Speaker is away from the country on a foreign tour.
The agitated MLAs rushed to the Raj Bhavan complaining to Bhardwaj about Bopaiah’s absence in spite of being told in advance about their decision to submit their resignations, a move aimed at pushing the Jagadish Shettar government into a crisis.
The MLAs, including CM Udasi and Shobha Karandlaje who quit as ministers, were taken aback when they were told Bopaiah was on tour while Assembly Secretary P Omprakasha was also not available.
Following the complaint, Governor Bhardwaj had shot off a letter to the Assembly Secretariat seeking details of the presiding officer’s tour.
The 13 MLAs have, meanwhile, sent their resignation letters to Bopaiah through e-mail and requested him to accept them by January 27 or 28.
Nehru Olekar, Haveri MLA, said the group was contemplating to move a habeas corpus petition before the state High Court in a couple of days to trace the Speaker.
The MLAs’ resignation bid was seen as part of Yeddyurappa’s game plan to push the BJP government into a crisis and threaten its stability before Shettar could present the Budget on February 8, the last before the Assembly Elections due in May.
First Published: Friday, January 25, 2013, 15:28