Karnataka: Yeddyurappa wins second trust vote

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday expectedly won a vote of confidence in the truncated state assembly, a victory which will depend on the high court's decision on the disqualification of 16 MLAs.

Facing the second trial of strength in four days, Yeddyurappa's motion expressing confidence in his council of ministers was carried by 106 votes supporting it and 100 against.

The BJP had the support of 105 MLAs and an Independent MLA, while Congress had 73, Janata Dal-Secular 27 in a house of 206.

The proceedings were orderly and the vote was taken through head count unlike the pandemonium that surrounded Monday's controversial vote that was declared passed by a voice vote.

One Independent MLA, who was with the opposition on Monday, sided with the government on Thursday.

Earlier, Speaker K G Bopaiah rejected a plea of the leader of ppposition Siddaramaiah for postponing Thursday's vote in view of the hearing on disqualification petitions by the Karnataka high court.

The House was adjourned sine die later. Two MLAs -- Manappa Vajjal from BJP and M C Ashwath of JD-S were absent from the House, which brought down the effective strength of the 224-member assembly to 206.

Sixteen MLAs -- 11 from BJP and five Independents -- were disqualified under anti-defection law on October 10 by the speaker ahead of the Monday's vote which has been challenged in the high court.

The court has reserved its orders on the plea of the BJP MLAs for quashing the speaker's orders, while it adjourned hearing on the plea of the Independent MLAs to Monday.

Yeddyurappa was forced to go in for the second trial of strength after Governor H R Bhardwaj rejected the result of the Monday vote as 'farce' and gave him another chance on Tuesday, which the BJP accepted.

On Monday evening, Bhardwaj had recommended to the Centre imposition of President's Rule in Karnataka holding that the Constitution machinery had broken down. The high court also did not provide interim relief to disqualified MLAs and with the number favouring him in the assembly, Yeddyurappa accepted the governor's offer to take the floor test, the second time.

Meanwhile, after being in a combative mood in the last few days, the Congress and the JD-S were a subdued lot during the trust vote.

Minutes before the trust vote, word was out from the Congress camp that it may boycott the session and the party MLAs also did not sign the attendance register initially, amid conflicting signals from the party on its approach to the issue.

But things changed thereafter and the main opposition decided to participate in the proceedings.

At the Congress legislature party meeting on Wednesday, a section of the members had expressed dissatisfaction over the United Progressive Alliance government not accepting President's Rule.

JD-S also appeared to be wanting to take a cue from what the Congress would do during the vote of confidence.

In contrast, BJP appeared to have a clear-cut strategy to come out in flying colours. JD-S MLA from Channapatna, M C Ashwat, was absent helping the BJP, which was not unexpected as his party had acknowledged that he had been won over by the BJP.

Similarly, BJP's Lingasagur MLA Manappa Vajjal was also absent as his party alleged that JD-S was behind the attempt to weaken it in the numbers game.

The BJP brought its MLA Eshanna Gullannavar, who is ill, by ambulance and he sat in the House in a wheel-chair. When Siddaramaiah questioned Gullannavar's presence, saying he is 'physically and mentally not fit,' the speaker read out a medical certificate produced by the legislator which said he is fully conscious, mentally stable and his judgment is clear.