BIDAR: The ruling Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party combine lost power in the Bidar Zilla Panchayat on Friday after the Congress won a no-confidence motion against president Anil Bhusare and vice-president Jyoti Charan Rathod.

However, the High Court order issued on Thursday will not allow the Congress to elect its president and vice-president for six weeks.

The motion received 17 votes in favour and 14 against in the 31-member panchayat. The Congress has 12 members, Bahujan Samaj Party and All India Progressive Janata Dal one each, Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party eight each and one independent member.

Permission

The Congress sought permission from Jitendra Nayak, Chief Executive Officer, on August 26 to move a no-confidence motion against the president and vice-president, alleging that large-scale financial irregularities had taken place in the zilla panchayat.

Mr. Bhusare had filed a petition urging the Karnataka High Court to stay the meeting to be held on Friday on the ground that seven members had not received any notice.

While the court refused to stay the meeting, it directed the Chief Executive Officer to send the proceedings of the meeting to it and not to allow the election of a new president and vice-president before six weeks.

Support

The motion moved by the Congress, All India Progressive Janata Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party received the support of Bharatiya Janata Party members Meenakshibai Sangram, Bheemanna Kolle and Ganapatrao Kadam.

While Ms. Sangram is the daughter of former MLA and senior BJP leader Gundappa Vakil, Mr. Kadam is a follower of Mr. Vakil. Mr. Kolle is believed to be a follower of BJP district unit president Prakash Khandre.

Faction

These members had escaped action under the Anti-Defection Act as the BJP had eight members and these three formed a faction bigger than a third of the elected members of the party, Congress leader D.K. Siddaram told presspersons here after the meeting.

All India Progressive Janata Dal member Amrut Chimkod said this was not the defeat of Mr. Bhusare and Ms. Rathod but that of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

`Upset'

"Members of zilla panchayats across the State are upset by the State Government's decision of reducing their powers and empowering MLAs and MLCs to take decisions on matters related to zilla panchayats. The Government should learn a lesson from the defeat in the Bidar Zilla Panchayat and take steps to strengthen the local bodies," Mr. Chimkod said.

Mr. Bhusare said that he was confident of winning a confidence motion within six weeks.

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