BENGALURU, July 28 - Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Sunday disqualified 14 more rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law, an action that reduces the majority mark in the assembly and pave the way for the newly formed BJP government to win the trust vote smoothly on Monday.
Eleven Congress MLAs and three JDS lawmakers faced the axe from the Speaker in addition to the three disqualified earlier, bringing down the majority mark to 104, one less than the current strength of 105 of the BJP, which also enjoys the support of an Independent.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is set to seek the trust vote in the assembly, struck a confident note, saying �On Monday hundred per cent I will prove the majority.� Kumar pronounced his ruling at a hurriedly called news conference on the eve of the trust vote, two days after Yediyurappa took the oath as chief minister but the rebels said they would challenge it in the Supreme Court.
He rejected the resignations tendered by the MLAs and went on to disqualify them, allowing petitions by the two parties.
With the disqualification of 17 rebel MLAs �14 from the Congress and three from JDS till the end of the current term in 2023 � on Sunday, the effective strength of the 224-member assembly excluding the Speaker who has a casting vote in case of a tie, is 207.
The magic figure required for majority is 104.
BJP along with the support of one independent has 106 members, Congress 66 (including nominated), JD(S) 34 and one BSP member, who has been expelled by the party for not voting for the Kumaraswamy government during the trust vote on July 23.
The absence of 20 MLAS � 17 rebels, as also one each legislator from Congress, BSP and Independent � during the vote of confidence motion moved by the Congress-JDS coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy had led to its collapse.
�I have used my judicial conscience...,� said the Speaker, justifying his controversial action.
His sudden move also came amid indications from the BJP that it was mulling moving a no-confidence against him if he doesn�t voluntarily give up the post when the assembly meets on Monday.
Ahead of the trial of strength, a confident Yediyurappa said the Finance Bill would be passed after winning the trust vote, adding, �I have not even changed a comma or full stop in it. I will be tabling the finance bill prepared by the (previous) Congress-JD(S) government.�
The finance bill (appropriation bill) needs to be passed �urgently�, as otherwise �we will not be able to draw funds even to pay salaries (of government employees),� he said.
The speaker said he took action based on the petitions moved by the Congress and JDS to disqualify the rebel MLAs, who had also submitted resignations as assembly members and were absent during the trust vote sought by Kumaraswamy. � PTI
