Karnataka   

JD(S) cannot take ex parte decision on House session, says Congress

— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

In a hurry: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy arriving to attend the Cabinet meeting in Bangalore on Friday.

Bangalore: The State Cabinet on Friday decided to convene a session of the legislature on October 18 to face a floor test to prove the majority of the Government headed by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ministers, who tendered their resignation on October 2 to the Chief Minister, stayed away from the meeting, which was held for 30 minutes. The Chief Minister is yet to act on the resignation of the BJP Ministers. All Janata Dal (Secular) Ministers attended the meeting.

The political scene has now shifted to New Delhi. The decision to hold the session clearly signals that the Janata Dal (Secular) is not keen on transferring power to the BJP.

Briefing presspersons on the Cabinet decisions, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj S. Horatti downplayed the decision to call the legislature session, saying it had been decided earlier to have it in October. While the Chief Minister termed the October 18th session as “special session,” Mr. Horatti said it was “routine.” Both Houses of the State Legislature would meet on October 18 at 11.30 a.m., he said.

President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Mallikarjuna Kharge on Friday met the Governor and briefed him on the political turmoil that was dogging the ruling coalition Government.

In a memorandum to Mr. Thakur, the KPCC took objection to the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Mr. Kumaraswamy and termed it “improper.”

Accompanied by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly N. Dharam Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council H.K. Patil and the former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Kharge told the Governor that the Janata Dal (Secular) could not take an “ex parte” decision on convening the session of the Assembly, when half the members of the Cabinet had abstained from it.

The BJP Ministers, who did not attend the Cabinet meeting on Friday, instead took part in the party meeting that was held at the same time when the Cabinet meeting was going on at the Vidhana Soudha.

It is learnt that several legislators demanded that the party should immediately withdraw support to the Janata Dal (Secular) instead of dilly-dallying over the issue.

They expressed fear that the Janata Dal (Secular) might take advantage of the situation to take unilateral decisions on important schemes if the BJP did not withdraw the support immediately. Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa reportedly explained to them that a decision on the withdrawal of support would have to be taken by the party Central leadership.

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