LIVE | Karnataka Budget Session: Heated debate on audio clip

Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Monday “advised” the State government to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the controversial audio clip that makes bribery charges against him. The BJP, however, opposed a government probe.

. "We should first clear your name from this row. So, we're okay for SIT, ACB or CID probe. For other things alleged in the audio clip, let's debate that separately," BJP MLA JC Madhuswamy insists.

. BJP opposes government probe into audio clip row, want Speaker to form his own inquiry committee.

. "A day after the incident, the CM himself stated he got it done (the recording). So, we won't have faith in an inquiry conducted by the government," says BJP's Govind Karjol.

. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy: "More than addressing their problems, the political discourse has been focussed on the longevity of the government. We need to put an end to this. We ask your permission to form a SIT for a comprehensive inquiry."

BJP MLA JC Madhusway: "Since the government is involved, we don't have faith in a probe conducted by SIT. We want the Speaker to name his mode of inquiry so that it will be objective and fair."

CM says he's ready to allow the Speaker to name his own inquiry committee.

. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar and other members of the House request Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar not to be "emotional" and step down over the audio clip row.

. Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar advises the government to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the controversial audio clip. "I'm not directing you. I'm advising the CM to form a SIT and ascertain the truth on who said it, why it was said and whether it really happened," Kumar said on the floor of the House, after a detailed discussion on the audio clip in which it is alleged that the Speaker was bribed to accept resignations of disgruntled MLAs. Kumar has asked the government to submit a report in 15 days and "give me respite."

. RDPR Minister Krishna Byre Gowda: "My privilege has been breached. It's a contempt of this House."

BJP MLA JC Madhuswamy: "I appeal to the Speaker. Let's forget this and move on. We don't have to discuss in this House whatever people talk about us on the streets."

. "I request the House. You chose me unanimously. Never have I acted in a manner unbecoming of me," says Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar

. "Speaker is the custodian of the House. People are watching us. I've spent two nights in distress. I left home and went to Raichur to distract myself from the pain," saysSpeaker KR Ramesh Kumar

. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has set aside Rs 12,650 crore toward his pet crop loan waiver scheme in 2019-20 fiscal.

. Chief Minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy presented his second budget today, amid a walkout by opposition BJP. The budget had a lot of things in store for the Bengalurean. Here are 18 key takeaways:

. The government also plans to developindustrial areas at Arasikere in Hassan district, Nagamangala in Mandya district, Chittapur in Kalaburagi district, Mulavad in Vijayapura district, Kanagala in Belagavi district and Madhugiri in Tumakuru district through Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board.

. "It's a challenge to provide infrastructure in Bengaluru. To improve Brand Bengaluru, several projects are being taken up, including peripheral ring road, Namma Metro Phase-2, suburban rail projects and so on," says HDK.

. "Bengaluru has become a hub for industrial investment. We want to shift this to other cities to provide opportunities for the youth," says HDK.

. BJP members chant "You are lying..." and "We want justice" as the chief minister continues his budget speech.

Opposition BJP stages walkout as Budget copies were not given. Leader of the Opposition BS Yeddyurappa leads the walkout.

. Follow live updates here

. The Congress has decided to seek the disqualification of four disgruntled legislators, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah announced here on Friday.

. The chief minister asked Speaker to take necessary actions on the latest audio, released today morning.

. With Chikkamagaluru district reeling under drought and natural calamity, citizens are expecting some relief in the state budget, to be presented on Friday.

. CM H D Kumaraswamy released an audio conversation between B S Yeddyurappa and JD(S) MLA Naganagouda Kandakur's (Gurmitkal) son Sharanagouda on Friday. Accused BJP of trying to lure the MLA.

. “Cabinet ministers have said 4 BJP MLAs are in touch with them. They should explain this. The audio tape allegation is far from the truth.

“Didn’t you (Kumaraswamy) call BJP Aland MLA Subash Guttedar?”

“20 Congress MLAs haven’t accepted HDK as the CM.”

“I’ve not met anyone. This is an attempt to cover up the disgruntlement in the coalition,” says Yeddyurappa.

. Eight Congress MLAs have not come to the CLP meet yet.

Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumthalli, Umesh Jadhav, B Nagendra, BC Patil and JN Ganesh skip the meeting.

R Roshan Baig and Laxmi Hebbalkar have not come, too, but they’re not under the party’s radar.

. Flanked by Dy CM G Parameshwara and his cabinet colleague Sa Ra Mahesh, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy addressedthe press conference in Bengaluruon Friday ahead of the state budget.

. CM H D Kumaraswamy released an audio conversation between B S Yeddyurappa and JD(S) MLA Naganagouda Kandakur's (Gurmitkal) son Sharanagouda on Friday. Accused the BJP of trying to lure the MLA.

. Flanked by DyCM G Parameshwara and his cabinet colleague Sa Ra Mahesh, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy addresses the presser.

Says, it is inevitable for him to convene the PC ahead of his budget amid the prevailing political chaos.

I refrained from giving any media statements the last two days owing to the political developments.

I have called you hurriedly for this PC.

Parliament is on in New Delhi, while the budget session is on in Karnataka.

I still remember how PM Narendra Modi bowed his head on the steps of the Parliament. I have observed his statements on the floor of the House yesterday. He spoke about corruption and slammed the Congress.

The PM has also attacked my crop loan waiver scheme.

Modi, who termed the Parliament the temple of democracy, misled it yesterday by uttering lies. He is systematically demolishing democracy.

I request the opposition leaders to raise against Modi. They must Parliament and expose the real truth of the PM. I say this in a lot of pain.

Modi is projecting himself as the saviour of his country.

The state BJP disallowed the Governor from addressing the joint session. They say, 'Go back CM'.

If the BJP thinks that my government lacks majority, then why hasn't it moved the no confidence motion? Why has it been trooping into the well of the House, disrupting the proceedings, instead?

Presenting a budget is not child's play. But the BJP leaders are creating trouble.

The Lok Sabha elections will be announced soon.

The government activities have to begin from April. What message is BS Yeddyurappa trying to give to the people of the state?

. CM H D Kumaraswamy leaves his father H D Deve Gowda's Padmanabhanagar residence towards his home office, Krishna, where he will address a hurriedly convened press conference.

. The BJP's slogans like, 'Go backCM, Go back CM', 'Step Down CM, Step Down CM', 'Down down government without majority' and 'No unity, no majority' and continued protest have forced the Speaker to adjourn proceedings till 12.30 p.m Friday when Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's government will table the 2019-2020 budget. PTI

. Legislative Council adjourned again till 3 pm after BJP members continued their protest.

Council Chairperson Pratap Chandra Shetty questioned Leader of the Opposition Kota Srinivasa Poojary why the BJP was even protesting. “Because the government has no majority,” Poojary said.

“If so, then there’s a process for that. You can’t disrupt proceedings like this,” Sherry said, before adjourning the House.

. Governor Vajubhai R Vala's speech on Wednesday hailing the HD Kumaraswamy-led administration for “timely measures” to tackle drought, even as the Opposition BJP has made the calamity its tool to target the Congress-JD(S) coalition, was stopped abruptly by BJP members due to their sloganeering.

. KR Pet MLA K C Narayanagowda has abstained from the legislature session, citing health issues. However, his associates said he is unhappy with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for not allotting sufficient funds for his constituency.

. Legislative Council adjourned till 12pm after BJP members jumped to the well of the House in protest against the government. BJP members came with placards on corruption, transfer racket, sand mafia and other issues.

. A defiant BJP has decided to go for the kill and topple the coalition government before the completion of the Budget session.

. Industries Minister K J George challenged the BJP to move the no-confidence motion if it was confident that the government lacked the majority. "Instead of moving the no-confidence motion, the BJP has been repeatedly charging the government does not have the majority. Let them move the no-confidence motion - we will show them. The Congress MLAs are all together. The Parliament elections are nearing and the BJP knows that it will lose. Hence it is trying to bring disrepute to the government by disallowing it to function. But we are strong. The government will complete its five-year term," he added.

. Stating that the BJP will continue with its protest against the coalition government inside the House tomorrow and day after, Molakalmuru MLA B Sriramulu demanded Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to immediately tender his resignation.

Sriramulu, who was seen leading the protest in the House, said that as many as 15 ruling party MLAs had absented themselves from the House. "This means that the government lacks the majority. The government has no right to continue. The Chief Minister should resign immediately. The BJP will soon meet the Governor - we are taking our protest in stages," he added.

. Nearly 10 ruling party MLAs have absented themselves from the joint session. As expected, four disgruntled MLAs - Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak), Umesh G Jadhav (Chincholi), B Nagendra (Bellary), Mahesh Kumathalli (Athani) - who have all been issued show cause notices by the Congress did not attend the session.

Two Independent MLAs H Nagesh (Mulbagal) and R Shankar (Ranebennur), who have withdrawn the support to the government, too were not to be seen.

In addition to these, other disgruntled Congress MLAs like Basanagouda Daddal (Raichur Rural), B C Patil (Hirekerur), Paratapgouda Patil (Maski), Ramalinga Reddy (BTM Layout), his daughter Sowmya Reddy (Jayanagar) too have absented themselves from the session.

Kampli MLA J N Ganesh, who is facing attempt to murder charges for attacking Vijayanagar MLA Anand Singh, too gave the session a skip. The police are yet to arrest the MLA.

Interestingly, JD(S) MLA Narayan Gowda (K R Pet) was among the absentee MLAs.

. Vijayanagar MLA Anand Singh, who was hurriedly discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, attended the joint session accompanied by CLP leader Siddaramaiah and Wakf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan.

. Opposition BJP in Karnataka on Wednesday disrupted Governor Vajubhai Vala's address to the joint sitting of the state legislature here.

. A glut in production has resulted in onion prices crashing to a meagre Rs 8 a kg in the state, leaving the farmers helpless.

. The House pay homage to Siddaganga seer ShivakumaraSwami and Former Union Minister George Fernandes. BJP members withdrawprotest as the obituary referencetaken up by Speaker.

. Governor Vajubhai Vala winds up his address to joint session in 10 minutes and tables his 22-page speech as BJP members stage protest in the well of the House. The BJP members raise slogans that the ruling coalition has no right to continue as it has lost majority.

. Governor Vajubhai Vala cuts shorthis address to the joint session amid protest by BJP members who state the coalition government has no right to continue as it has lost the majority.

. Governor Vajubhai Vala to address joint session at 11 am. The budget session starts amid fears that the BJP with the help of some disgruntled legislators of the ruling alliance may try to topple the government.

. Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy lashed out at the BJP offering bribes to the JD(S) and Congress MLAs on Saturday. He was addressing the gathering at the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) mega opposition rally in Kolkata.

. The Congress has finally admitted to the fact there was indeed a brawl between its Ballari MLAs Anand Singh, J N Ganesh and Bheema Naik.

. CLP leader Siddaramaiah issues fresh notices to four MLAs - Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, B Nagendra, Mahesh Kumthalli - that they attend the budget session and also meet him in person.

. Amid alleged renewed attempts by the opposition BJP in Karnataka to destabilise it, the ruling Congress-JDS coalition government, which is beset with dissidence,is gearing up for a stormy budget session of the state legislature commencing here from Wednesday.

. BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday said that he had asked his leaders not to issue statements expressing doubt over Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy presenting the 2019-20 budget as scheduled on February 8.

. Non-payment of wages has slumped the progress of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in Karnataka, leaving authorities worried that joblessness in rural areas, where there is severe drought, could result in large-scale migration.

. The state BJP on Tuesday decided to continue its efforts of getting the numbers to push the government over the edge.

. The Budget session of the legislature will commence on Wednesday with the Congress-JD(S) coalition on the brink amid fears that the BJP or some disgruntled legislators of the ruling alliance may try to topple the government.

LIVE | Karnataka Budget Session: Heated debate on audio clip

Audio clip row: Speaker 'advises' for SIT probe

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