Bengaluru: Amid uproar for a brief while, the no-confidence motion moved by the opposition Congress against the BJP government in Karnataka led by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was defeated by a voice vote on Saturday night.
"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 BS Yediyurappa's family.
Alleging that the BJP government has lost the people's 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. Yediyurappa is the father of Operation Lotus (a term used by the opposition to describe moves to lure legislators to BJP) in the country," K 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 £3.5 billion relief from the Centre whereas it got only £166.2 million. 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.
Alleging the involvement of Yediyurappa's 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 million of rupees. Vijayendra is an apparent reference to Yediyurappa's son BY 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.
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.
