Karnataka Crisis: Advantage BJP After Speaker Disqualifies 14 Rebel MLAs

Bengaluru: A day before the trust vote of the newly sworn-in BJP government in Karnataka, Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar has disqualified 14 rebel Congress MLAs.

# The disqualification of the MLAs brings down the effective strength of the House to 207, bringing the half-way mark to 104. This will help BJP sail through the trust vote with its 105 MLAs.

# With the Speaker’s move, the total number of disqualified MLAs now stands at 17.

# Should the BJP win the floor test on Monday, as it looks likely now, the new BS Yediyurappa government will face no further threat at least for the next six months. During this period, it could consolidate its position in the State Assembly if the by-election results (necessitated because of the disqualifications) favour the ruling dispensation.

# On 27 July, Yediyurappa took oath as Karnataka CM after the Congress-JDS coalition government crumbled.

# What about the Speaker:
In all likelihood, the Speaker could step down after Monday’s floor test. Reports indicate that the Yediyurappa government has indicated its willingness to move a no-trust vote against the Speaker unless he steps down. The contention is that the Speaker is always elected by the ruling camp.