KARNATAKA GOV: NO FLOOR TEST FOR CM, FOR NOW

Karnataka governor H. R. Bhardwaj said on Saturday that chief minister Jagadish Shettar’s BJP government, on the edge of a precipice following the decision of 13 rebel legislators to resign, need not face a trial of strength on the Assembly floor as yet.

The governor said “there is no constitutional crisis in the state at present. So, there is no need to direct the CM to face a floor test in the Assembly... But if Mr Shettar’s government falls short of majority even by one MLA, I will ask him to face a floor test.”

Chief minister Jagadish Shettar could well breathe easy as governor H. R. Bhardwaj said on Saturday that the six- month- old BJP government, on the precipice following the decision of 13 rebel legislators to resign, need not face a trial of strength on the floor of the Legislative Assembly.

Speaking to mediapersons after his Republic Day address, the governor said “there is no constitutional crisis in the state at present. So, there is no need to direct the chief minister to face a floor test in the Assembly. As of now, there is no threat to the government. I acknowledge that 13 MLAs have resigned their membership of the Assembly. But if Mr Shettar’s government falls

Mr Bhardwaj said he would act according to the advice of Mr Shettar as long as he was the chief minister

short of majority even by one MLA, I will ask him to face the floor test”, the governor added.

For Mr Shettar, who was standing next to the governor during the latter’s interaction with mediapersons, these statements came as a breather. It was for the second time in 24 hours that the governor dispelled reports that he would ask the chief minister to prove his majority in the Assembly. The issue did not figure during discussions between Mr Shettar and Mr Bhardwaj when the chief minister called on the governor to invite him to address the joint session of legislature on February 4.

The governor, however, hinted that Mr Shettar’s government could face a turbulent budget session, saying “each day of the budget session is a test for the government”.

Asked if he would direct Mr Bopaiah to accept the resignation of 13 BJP legislators, he said said Speaker’s was an independent and very high office and he cannot dictate terms.

To a query on Mr Yeddyurappa’s remarks that the state was facing a Constitutional crisis following the resignation of the 13 MLAs, Mr Bhardwaj said the government still enjoyed majority and it was left to Mr Shettar to act in this regard.