Karnataka   

Dharam Singh faces trial of strength in Assembly today

Bangalore Bureau

Chief Minister confident that the crisis will blow over

BANGALORE: Karnataka Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh continued to remain unruffled on Thursday and is depending on the Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Deve Gowda to stand by him and save the day in the trial of strength in the Legislative Assembly on Friday.

Mr. Dharam Singh, who participated in the Republic Day celebrations at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground here, told presspersons that "the crisis will blow over and the uncertainty will clear tomorrow." He is hoping that Mr. Deve Gowda will uphold secularism and prevent the communal forces from assuming power in the State.

Mr Dharam Singh, who declined to divulge strategies being worked out to save the coalition Government, said it would be made known only on Friday morning when he seeks the confidence of the Assembly. "I am confident of proving the majority," he reiterated.

"Whatever should happen will happen tomorrow," he said and denied that no efforts are being made to resolve the political stalemate. Party leaders are making sincere efforts to prevent the BJP from coming to power and to save the Government, he said.

Assembly meet

The Assembly will commence its sitting at 10 a.m. to test the majority enjoyed by the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government.

Though various governments in the past have faced motions of no confidence or confidence of the House, the fact that a major chunk of one of the ruling parties has withdrawn its support to the Government invests Friday's session with unprecedented interest. It should be seen as to how the first Rajput to become the Chief Minister of the State will display his chivalry on the floor of the House. So far Mr. Dharam Singh has displayed commendable serenity and confidence amidst the war of nerves and refused to yield.

The vote for or against will decide the fate of the 20th Government formed in the State after Independence and the future of the 17th Chief Minister since 1947.The beleaguered Chief Minister will move the vote of confidence in the House. A prolonged debate is expected and the fate of the Government will be known only in the night.

Among the parallels to the crisis in the State were the resignation of Morarji Desai as Prime Minister in September 1979 after the group in the Janata Party led by Charan Singh and Raj Narain walked out to join hands with the Congress, the resignation of H.D. Deve Gowda as Prime Minister in April 1997 after the Congress withdrew its support and the defeat of the second Vajpayee Government at the Centre in May 1998 by one vote on the floor of the Lok Sabha.

The Chief Minister, answering queries from presspersons at the "At Home" hosted by Governor T.N. Chaturvedi in the evening, said he that he will initiate the debate on the motion of confidence on the plank of secularism.

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