Cong no-confidence motion against Yediyurappa govt defeated

After a fierce debate for about six hours, the no-confidence motion moved by leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah was defeated by a voice vote.

"The motion is in favour of Nos. The motion is defeated by the voice vote," Speaker Kageri said as he wound up the current session of the Karnataka Assembly.

While initiating the debate on the no-confidence motion, Congress veteran Siddaramaiah launched a scathing attack on the BJP government, more specifically on Chief Minister B S Yediyurappas family.

Alleging that the BJP government has lost the peoples trust to continue in power, Siddaramaiah said the BJP never had the mandate to rule the state.

"You were short of enough numbers (in the assembly) but you came up with Operation Lotus.

Mr Yediyurappa is the father of Operation Lotus (a term used by the opposition to describe moves to lure legislators to BJP) in the country," Siddaramaiah said as he began the debate on the no-confidence motion.

Siddaramaiah was referring to the fall of the Congress-JDS coalition government in July last year with some congress and JDS legislators resigning from the assembly and later joining the BJP.

Alleging that the government failed to provide relief to the flood affected people in 2019, Siddaramaiah said the government had sought about Rs 35,000 crore relief from the Centre whereas it got only Rs 1,662 crore.

On the law and order front, Siddaramaiah claimed the government failed as two people were shot dead in Mangaluru during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act/National Register of Citizens protests.

The former chief minister alleged that government failed to act on time during the  violence in Bengaluru on August 11 this year during which Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthys house, his sister Jayanthi's house and two police stations were torched.

Alleging the involvement of Yediyurappas family in corruption, Siddaramaiah said there were charges against one Vijayendra that he allegedly took bribe from a Bangalore Development Authority contractor to the tune of crores of rupees.

Vijayendra is an apparent reference to Yediyurappas son B Y Vijayendra, who is BJP state vice president.

Replying to the allegation, Yediyurappa challenged Siddaramaiah to prove the charge.

"If there is an iota of truth that my family is involved, then I will retire from politics. If it is wrong then you resign. You should be ashamed of making baseless allegations," Yediyurappa said.

When Siddaramaiah demanded that an inquiry should be ordered by a sitting Supreme Court judge or a probe by a special investigation team monitored by the High Court Chief Justice, Yediyurappa said, "Because you have made the allegation, the onus to prove the charge lies with you."

The Chief Minister rubbished other charges of Siddaramaiah and said despite the coronavirus pandemic, the state has done remarkably well.

He also explained the various measures taken by the government for relief and rehabilitation of flood affected people.

There was pandemonium for a while when Siddaramaiah levelled the corruption allegations with BJP and Congress members  trading charges.

Replying to the allegation on Bengaluru violence on August 11, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said the incident was pre-planned as all the access roads leading to the violence prone area were blocked by the vandals.

He said none of the 421 people arrested in connection with the violence were innocent.

Concluding the debate, Speaker Kageri asked the members to take part in the voice vote

"The motion is in favour of Nos. The motion is defeated by the voice vote," the speaker said.

The JDS abstained from the no-confidence motion.

With the numbers on its side, there was no threat to the stability of the BJP government because of the no-confidence motion.

In the 225-member assembly, the ruling BJP has 116 members, Congress 67, JD(S) 33, BSP and nominated 1, independents 2, and Speaker (he has a casting vote).

Four seats-- Sira, Basavakalyan, RR Nagar and Maski are vacant.