02-09-2006, 01:45 AM
New Govt wins numbers game
DH News Service Bangalore:
After a 14-hour heated debate, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy won the motion of confidence in the Legislative Assembly in the early hours of Thursday by 138-66 votes.
While 138 members belonging to the JD(S), BJP, JD(U) and independents in the 225-member House supported the confidence motion moved by the Chief Minister, only 66 MLAs from the Congress and the AIPJD of Siddaramaiah opposed the trust vote. As many as 19 members, including the chief ministerâs brother H D Revanna and some Congress members, were absent.
Interestingly, all the senior JD(S) leaders and MLAs from Hassan district, who had been opposing the new combine, also voted in favour of Mr. Kumaraswamy. However, former minister P G R Sindhia was the lone exception as he opposed the motion, the voting for which was held by way of a head count.
The discussion on the motion of confidence was prolonged as the Congress members and AIPJD leader Siddaramaiah launched a verbal attack against the new combine. This resulted in a heated exchange of words between the members of the new alliance and the Congress-AIPJD members throughout the discussion. The Congress members questioned the secular credentials of the JD(S) and came down heavily on it for joining hands with the BJP.
CMâs grief
However, Mr. Kumaraswamy who sat through the entire discussion despite his father-in-lawâs death late in the evening, launched a counter-attack against the Congress and alleged that the latter was responsible for his decision to pull out of the Dharam Singh Government. He accused the party of dividing his family and creating a rift between him and his father. While the Congress ridiculed him for moving away from the secular ideology, Mr. Kumaraswamy shot back by claiming that his ideology was economic uplift of the poor sections in all communities.
<span style='color:blue'>
Referring to the allegations that the minorities were alarmed by his decision to join hands with the BJP, he wondered, âWho is scared? The minorities or you (Congress)?â He disclosed that the BJP had offered to tie up with the JD(S) soon after the 2004 elections and that he had declined the offer.</span>
âThere was no co-ordination or mutual trust between the Congress and the JD(S) legislators right from Day One of the coalitionâs formation,â he maintained. While the BJP had issued a whip to its 79 MLAs to vote in favour of the motion, the Congress and the JD(S) had not issued whips.
The Congress and AIPJD leaders used the platform to launch a blistering attack against the new combine as parties with contradictory ideologies had come together to share power.
The new Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly N Dharam Singh alleged that Mr. Kumaraswamy had thrown principles, ideology and secularism, which his party claimed to stand by, to the winds by aligning with the BJP.
Mr. Singh, who was recognised as the Opposition Leader by Speaker Krishna as soon as the House assembled, warned the Chief Minister to be wary of BJP. The BJPâs final push to capture power on its own would be targeted at Mr. Kumaraswamy, he said.
Senior Congress leader and KPCC president Mallikarjuna Kharge termed the new alliance as âunholy allianceâ and âunprincipled marriageâ.
Mr. Kharge said the people of the state would teach the coalition partners a lesson in the next elections. âYou cannot go against their verdict. The people voted against the communal forces, now you have joined hands with a party whose one-point agenda is to build a Hindu rashtra,â Mr. Kharge told the JD(S) members.
Former minister R V Deshpande said the JD(S) had betrayed the Congress by joining hands with the BJP. âThe BJP will not allow you JD(S) to function freely and effectively. The government has been formed on quicksand and hence it will not be stable,â he opined.
Earlier, recalling the services of the former chief ministers, including H D Deve Gowda, S M Krishna and Dharam Singh, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he would strive for the comprehensive development of the State.
Senior leader Sindhia said he was pained over the developments that led to the removal of JD(S) Legislature Party leader M P Prakash. For him, Mr. Prakash continued to remain the legislature party leader, he remarked. But Mr. Prakash, surprised everyone by stating he accepted Mr. Kumaraswamy as his leader.
Speaking to reporters after the trust vote, the Chief Minister said the Cabinet expansion would take place in four or five days. Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the Governor would address the joint session of the State Legislature on February 20.
A STROLL IN THE PARK
* M P Prakash does a volte-face, says H D Kumaraswamy is his leader * P G R Sindhia says M P Prakash is still the JDLP leader.
* CM orders probe into land grabbing.
* Dharam Singh recognised as Leader of the Opposition in Assembly.
Scorecard
For : 138
Against : 66
Absentees : 19
Notable absentee : Revanna
Time of voting : 12:15 am to 12:30 am (Thu)
Debate duration : Wed 10:30 am to Thu 12:30 am
DH News Service Bangalore:
After a 14-hour heated debate, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy won the motion of confidence in the Legislative Assembly in the early hours of Thursday by 138-66 votes.
While 138 members belonging to the JD(S), BJP, JD(U) and independents in the 225-member House supported the confidence motion moved by the Chief Minister, only 66 MLAs from the Congress and the AIPJD of Siddaramaiah opposed the trust vote. As many as 19 members, including the chief ministerâs brother H D Revanna and some Congress members, were absent.
Interestingly, all the senior JD(S) leaders and MLAs from Hassan district, who had been opposing the new combine, also voted in favour of Mr. Kumaraswamy. However, former minister P G R Sindhia was the lone exception as he opposed the motion, the voting for which was held by way of a head count.
The discussion on the motion of confidence was prolonged as the Congress members and AIPJD leader Siddaramaiah launched a verbal attack against the new combine. This resulted in a heated exchange of words between the members of the new alliance and the Congress-AIPJD members throughout the discussion. The Congress members questioned the secular credentials of the JD(S) and came down heavily on it for joining hands with the BJP.
CMâs grief
However, Mr. Kumaraswamy who sat through the entire discussion despite his father-in-lawâs death late in the evening, launched a counter-attack against the Congress and alleged that the latter was responsible for his decision to pull out of the Dharam Singh Government. He accused the party of dividing his family and creating a rift between him and his father. While the Congress ridiculed him for moving away from the secular ideology, Mr. Kumaraswamy shot back by claiming that his ideology was economic uplift of the poor sections in all communities.
<span style='color:blue'>
Referring to the allegations that the minorities were alarmed by his decision to join hands with the BJP, he wondered, âWho is scared? The minorities or you (Congress)?â He disclosed that the BJP had offered to tie up with the JD(S) soon after the 2004 elections and that he had declined the offer.</span>
âThere was no co-ordination or mutual trust between the Congress and the JD(S) legislators right from Day One of the coalitionâs formation,â he maintained. While the BJP had issued a whip to its 79 MLAs to vote in favour of the motion, the Congress and the JD(S) had not issued whips.
The Congress and AIPJD leaders used the platform to launch a blistering attack against the new combine as parties with contradictory ideologies had come together to share power.
The new Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly N Dharam Singh alleged that Mr. Kumaraswamy had thrown principles, ideology and secularism, which his party claimed to stand by, to the winds by aligning with the BJP.
Mr. Singh, who was recognised as the Opposition Leader by Speaker Krishna as soon as the House assembled, warned the Chief Minister to be wary of BJP. The BJPâs final push to capture power on its own would be targeted at Mr. Kumaraswamy, he said.
Senior Congress leader and KPCC president Mallikarjuna Kharge termed the new alliance as âunholy allianceâ and âunprincipled marriageâ.
Mr. Kharge said the people of the state would teach the coalition partners a lesson in the next elections. âYou cannot go against their verdict. The people voted against the communal forces, now you have joined hands with a party whose one-point agenda is to build a Hindu rashtra,â Mr. Kharge told the JD(S) members.
Former minister R V Deshpande said the JD(S) had betrayed the Congress by joining hands with the BJP. âThe BJP will not allow you JD(S) to function freely and effectively. The government has been formed on quicksand and hence it will not be stable,â he opined.
Earlier, recalling the services of the former chief ministers, including H D Deve Gowda, S M Krishna and Dharam Singh, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he would strive for the comprehensive development of the State.
Senior leader Sindhia said he was pained over the developments that led to the removal of JD(S) Legislature Party leader M P Prakash. For him, Mr. Prakash continued to remain the legislature party leader, he remarked. But Mr. Prakash, surprised everyone by stating he accepted Mr. Kumaraswamy as his leader.
Speaking to reporters after the trust vote, the Chief Minister said the Cabinet expansion would take place in four or five days. Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the Governor would address the joint session of the State Legislature on February 20.
A STROLL IN THE PARK
* M P Prakash does a volte-face, says H D Kumaraswamy is his leader * P G R Sindhia says M P Prakash is still the JDLP leader.
* CM orders probe into land grabbing.
* Dharam Singh recognised as Leader of the Opposition in Assembly.
Scorecard
For : 138
Against : 66
Absentees : 19
Notable absentee : Revanna
Time of voting : 12:15 am to 12:30 am (Thu)
Debate duration : Wed 10:30 am to Thu 12:30 am