The Hindu : Front Page : I didn't dither, says Dharam Singh

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Thursday, Feb 02, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

I didn't dither, says Dharam Singh

P. Sunderarajan

"Speaker abruptly adjourned House sine die"

NEW DELHI: The outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister, Dharam Singh, on Wednesday denied that he had dilly-dallied in moving the motion of confidence on January 27, and said he had sought the Speaker's permission but could not proceed further as the latter abruptly adjourned the Assembly. "I sought permission to move the motion and urged the Speaker to bring the House to order as utter pandemonium prevailed over his ruling recognising H. D. Kumaraswamy as the new leader of Janata Dal (Secular) Legislature Party. I wanted to explain the circumstances under which the motion was being moved. I had a right to be heard and the people of Karnataka also had a right to hear me. But, instead of bringing the House to order and allowing me to speak, the Speaker adjourned it sine die."

Terming the decision a "black spot" in the history of the Karnataka Legislature, Mr. Singh said the entire proceedings on January 27 were recorded on television cameras. "I am not making a story. I cannot. Anyone who had any doubt could see the Assembly records and also the television footage."

Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Singh denied that he had been trying to engineer a split in the JD (S). "I have been in politics for a long time and have held several posts over the years. But, I have never indulged in breaking other parties." He denied that the Congress had taken lightly the threat of the JD (S) walking out of the coalition. He said party president Sonia Gandhi, political secretary to party president Ahmed Patel and general secretary in charge of Karnataka A.K. Antony made serious efforts to keep the coalition intact.

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