The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BJP Government faces confidence vote today

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BJP Government faces confidence vote today

Special Correspondent

Jagadish Shettar unanimously elected 17th Speaker

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

New role: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly M. Mallikarjun Kharge congratulating Jagadish Shettar soon after his election as Speaker, in Bangalore on Thursday. Pro tem Speaker K.G. Bopaiah is at right.

Bangalore: The eight-day-old Bharatiya Janata Party Government, headed by B.S. Yeddyurappa, faces the crucial vote of confidence on Friday. It is mandatory for the Chief Minister to face the test as directed by Governor Rameshwar Thakur.

Given the numbers with the BJP in the Legislative Assembly, the Government is expected to pass the test with ease. The BJP has a strength of 116, including the six independents. Five of the independents have been made Ministers.

The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) Opposition combine has a total strength of 108. Discussion on the confidence vote is expected to be taken up soon after the Governor’s address to the joint session of the legislature. The unanimous election of Jagadish Shettar (BJP) as Speaker on Thursday in itself has proved to be a pointer to the majority which the BJP commands in the Lower House. The Congress and the Janata Dal (S) refrained from fielding a candidate, resulting in the unanimous election of the Speaker. Mr. Shettar is the 17th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

In the Assembly, the Chief Minister and Minister K.S. Eshwarappa moved two motions favouring Mr. Shettar for consideration by pro tem Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, and the House unanimously adopted them.

Mr. Yeddyurappa and Leader of the Opposition M. Mallikarjun Kharge escorted Mr. Shettar to the Speaker’s podium.

Mr. Shettar started his political career as an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist and rose to become the Dharwad district BJP president and later the State BJP president. He was Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and served as Revenue Minister in the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led Janata Dal (S)-BJP coalition Ministry.

His uncle, Sadashiva Shettar, was one of the first Jan Sangh MLAs from Hubli-Dharwad in 1967.

Mr. Kharge appealed to the Speaker to conduct the business within the framework of the rules of procedures of the House.

Former Chief Minister Mr. Kumaraswamy congratulated Mr. Shettar and called upon him to conduct a training programme for first-time members. The Speaker must also provide equal opportunities to new members to speak in the House, he said.

Mr. Eshwarappa and other Ministers Govind Karjol, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri and Basavaraj Bommai, and Katta Subramanya Naidu were among those who congratulated Mr. Shettar and promised their cooperation to him.

Replying to the felicitation, Mr. Shettar said he would uphold the dignity of the House. “I am confident of discharging my duties with dignity and decorum and will provide sufficient opportunities to the Opposition members as also the first-timers.” He called upon members to attend the sessions without fail and also recalled the contribution of the previous Speakers.

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