It is only to legalise an illegal act: JD(S)

Terming Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's letter to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa asking him to seek a vote of confidence again on Thursday as an attempt to legalise the “illegal passage of the motion of confidence by the Legislative Assembly in favour of the Government on Monday”, State Janata Dal (Secular) president and MP H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday demanded that the Governor withdraw his communication.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Kumaraswamy, who expressed the party's displeasure with the Governor's move, also demanded that he should postpone any such action till after the Karnataka High Court delivers its judgment on the writ petitions filed by the five disqualified Independent MLAs and the rebel BJP MLAs. Perhaps, this is the first time in the parliamentary history of the country that a Government has been given a second chance by the Governor to prove majority in the Assembly within a day, he added.

He and party leader in the Legislative Council M.C. Nanaiah said that the right of the Independents to participate in the voting on the motion of confidence should be protected. Taking objection to the Governor's volte-face, the leaders alleged that Mr. Bhardwaj was only facilitating the Chief Minister to “correct his mistake”, especially when horse trading had taken place.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said that the Opposition could not understand the reason behind the Governor's second letter to Mr. Yeddyurappa, when only on Monday he had recommended to the Union Government to impose President's Rule. An unforeseen hand played mischief in such a change in Mr. Bhardwaj's stand, they said.

Earlier, a delegation of Congress leaders, led by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R.V. Deshpande, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and senior leader V.S. Ugrappa, met the Governor and reportedly expressed shock over the reversal of his decision to allow Mr. Yeddyurappa to seek another vote of confidence. However, none of the leaders, who discussed the issue with Mr. Bhardwaj, was ready to meet the media as they left the Raj Bhavan from the northern gate.