Cong Core Groups meets to discuss Karnataka situation

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Political Secretary to the Congress President Ahmad Patel were understood to have deliberated on the options before the Centre in view of the fluid political situation in Karnataka.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa won the vote of confidence in the state Assembly after Speaker K G Bopaiah disqualified 11 BJP MLAs and five Independent members and barred them from entering the Vidhan Soudha premises.

The Governor is believed to have sent his report to the Centre calling the events and the vote in the Assembly as "unconstitutional" and "farce" and that the state should be brought under President's rule. He is understood to have noted that the Speaker's action in disqualifying 16 MLAs was unconstitutional and had vitiated the proceedings.