Yedi wins confidence vote, Speaker quits

Bengaluru, July 29

The three-day-old BJP government in Karnataka headed by BS Yediyurappa today proved its majority, sailing through the confidence motion smoothly in the truncated Assembly, ending a month-long political turbulence in the state.

A day after disqualifying 14 more rebel MLAs in a parting shot on the trust vote eve, paving the way for an easy run for the BJP, Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar announced his resignation soon after Yediyurappa won the confidence motion in a process lasting less than an hour after the House met.

With the BJP comfortably placed in the number game after the disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs, including three earlier, that reduced the effective strength of the House, the Opposition Congress and JDS did not press for division of votes.

After brief speeches by Yediyurappa while moving the one-line motion expressing confidence in the ministry headed by him, and by JD(S) and Congress leaders, the Speaker took up the trust vote and declared that it has been carried by voice vote amid thumping of desks by the treasury benches.

Yediyurappa was sworn in as CM for a fourth time on Friday. He succeeded HD Kumaraswamy three days after the Congress-JDS coalition government crumbled under the weight of a rebellion by a big chunk of its lawmakers, 20 of whom were absent for the voting that led to the defeat of its trust vote by 99-105.

In a statement, State Assembly Secretary MK Vishalakshi said the Speaker’s election would be held on Wednesday. He asked members to file their nominations by Tuesday afternoon. — PTI