Congress mulling no-confidence motion against state government

Taking advantage of the infighting in the ruling BJP, the Opposition Congress is mulling to move a no-confidence motion against the four-month-old Jagadish Shettar government in the coming Assembly session at Belgaum.

According to sources, senior Congress leaders who met here on Thursday had a detailed discussion on moving a no-confidence motion in the backdrop of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa quitting BJP and several MLAs expressing support to him.

KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar after chairing a senior-level leaders’ meeting  attended by former chief minister N Dharam Singh, former KPCC presidents R V Deshapande and  Allam Veerabhadrappa, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah and others, said that the issue of moving a no-confidence motion was deliberated in detail.

“A final decision on the issue would be taken only at the CLP meeting tin Belgaum on December,” CLP secretary Appaji Nadagouda told Express.

The BJP government has faced two confidence motions when Yeddyurappa was the chief minister.

With Yeddyurappa’s resignation, the strength of the ruling BJP has been reduced to 117, excluding the Speaker. Even the fate of the four-month-old Shettar government is under cloud following reports that more number of BJP MLAs supporting Yeddyurappa may opt to quit their seats.

As many as five BJP MLAs, were present when Yeddyurappa had resigned from the Assembly on Friday.

The  BJP had received a jolt when one of its sitting MLAs, Haladi Srinivasa Shetty had resigned from his post in July this year alleging that he was humiliated by the party leaders denying a berth in the Cabinet after promising it.

The BJP is enjoying a wafer thin majority in the 225-member Karnataka Assembly with 117 members followed by the Congress (71).