The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : I did what my conscience dictated, says rebel Janata Dal (S) MP

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Thursday, Jul 24, 2008
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I did what my conscience dictated, says rebel Janata Dal (S) MP

Karnataka Bureau

Bangalore: It is perhaps the first time in the history of parliamentary democracy in Karnataka that five members of the Lok Sabha have either abstained from a crucial confidence vote or violated the whip of their respective parties.

One of the five —D.C. Srikantappa (Chikmagalur) — has been maintaining poor health.

Four of the five MPs belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party, while the other is from the Janata Dal (S).

Janata Dal (S) MP, M. Shivanna, who had stayed put with party president H.D. Deve Gowda for most part of the last three days and who even travelled with him to Parliament on Tuesday, told The Hindu that “I did what my conscience dictated.”

Mr. Shivanna said he had voted for the Government because the country needed nuclear energy. “The party is free to take any action against me,” he said.

Mr. Shivanna said that the Janata Dal (S) had an opportunity to make a Dalit representative (himself) a Union Minister, but it did not do it. It was not only his desire, but the wish of the people of the most backward Chamarajanagar parliamentary constituency.

‘No alternative’

Udupi MP Manorama Madhwaraj said she had “no other alternative” but to abstain during the trust vote as she was opposed to coal-based power plants and was in favour of the nuclear agreement to improve the power situation in the country without much pollution.

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