Speaker is running away, fearing resignations: BSY

KJP President B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday accused Speaker K G Bopaiah of succumbing to pressure from the ruling party and treating legislators who had come to him with their resignation letters like “primary school children.”

 “The Speaker is not staying in headquarters (Bangalore) due to fear that more BJP MLAs would come to him with their resignation letters. He is running away. I have never seen a Speaker behave like this,” Yeddyurappa said after formally inducting former ministers Shobha Karandlaje, C M Udasi and four former BJP MLAs, who had quit recently, into the KJP.

The former legislators who joined the KJP on Thursday were B P Harish, H Halappa, Nehru Olekar and G Shivanna.

 Earlier this week, the Speaker had accepted the resignations of 12 BJP legislators, owing allegiance to Yeddyurappa, after extensive scrutiny and consultation process that lasted for nearly 10 hours.

“The Speaker treated the legislators like primary school children. It was only after the legislators threatened to stage an indefinite dharna in his office that the Speaker accepted the resignations,” Yeddyurappa said.

However, the former chief minister was not specific if more MLAs would indeed quit. “I do not know. Those who are interested in development can join my party. It is the responsibility of the chief minister to save the government,” he said.

Nagathana MLA Vittal Katakadonda, whose resignation was put on hold by the Speaker as his resignation letter had errors, was present at the KJP office on Thursday.

Active participation

“There has been no communication from the Speaker on whether he has accepted Katakadonda’s resignation. But, Katakadonda is actively participating in all our meetings,” Yeddyurappa said. Katakadonda was presented with a KJP shawl by Yeddyurappa. However, he was not inducted into the party.

When the Speaker’s reaction was sought regarding the allegations levelled by Yeddyurappa, he said he would not like to comment. Two retired IAS officers Baburao Mudabi and S L Gangadharappa joined the KJP.

White paper

Yeddyurappa also demanded that the state government release a white paper on state finances. He  alleged that 65 per cent of the budgetary grants meant for various departments for the financial year 2012-13 had remained unutilised.

“The chief minister should immediately come out with a white paper on the financial health of the state ahead of the budget presentation. Non-plan expenditure is on the increase while funds meant for developmental programmes have remained unutilised. People have the right to know what is happening,” Yeddyurappa said.

He blamed the State government for turning a blind eye to the sky-rocketing price of rice. “The price of rice has crossed Rs 50 per kg. Illegal hoarding of rice is on the increase, but the government does not seem to be bothered about it,” he alleged.