Yeddyurappa has no problem in Shettar presenting budget

A day before the commencement of the crucial budget session of the State Legislature, KJP leader B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday said he neither has any objection to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar presenting the 2013-14 budget nor has any intention to topple the government.

Yeddyurappa’s statement assumes significance in the wake of 12 BJP MLAs loyal to him resigning from their Assembly membership recently, reducing the strength of the ruling party. Resignation by three more MLAs would be enough to make it a minority government.   

Yeddyurappa was speaking after inducting former chairman of Karnataka State Women’s Commission C Manjula into the party.

The KJP leader said the chief minister should judge for himself whether it was appropriate on his part to present the budget which he will not be able to implement.

“He should think whether he will be able to implement the budget and, whether the government that comes to power after the polls will implement the same budget proposals,” he stated.

With the government now surviving on razor-thin majority, the ruling party is, therefore, keeping its fingers crossed on the fate of its government.

The Governor may ask the chief minister to take the floor test and prove his majority in the event of resignation by more MLAs. The Governor has already made it clear that he will intervene the moment the government loses majority.

Besides, the ruling party fears that the principal opposition party, the Congress, may make some of the BJP MLAs, who are seeking the Congress ticket to contest the next polls, to quit at this juncture.

The Congress has been reluctant to move a motion of no-confidence as it does not want to take the blame of toppling the government.

The JD(S) has, on its part, said it will support the Congress if it moves a no-confidence motion. Meanwhile, Shettar held a meeting with his two deputies, K S Eshwarappa and R Ashoka and Kannada and Culture minister Govind Karjol at his official residence ‘Cauvery’ on Sunday to discuss strategies ahead of the budget session.

Governor invited

Legislative Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah and Legislative Council Chairperson D H Shankarmurthy, on Sunday met Governor H R Bhardwaj at the Raj Bhavan and extended him an invitation to address the joint session of Legislature on February 4.