New Delhi: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) waiting on the Speaker to make his decision on the 16 rebel legislators that ended the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) coalition in Karnataka, the state may head for a short spell of President’s Rule.
Speaking to news agency IANS, state BJP spokesperson G Madhusudan said, “If the Speaker takes longer time to accept or reject the resignations of the rebels, the Governor (Vajubhai Vala) may recommend President’s rule in the state, as we would not like to stake claim to power in such a situation.”
The Speaker’s decision plays a crucial role in deciding the government formation because, without his approval of the resignations, the strength of the assembly will remain 225, raising the majority mark to 113. The BJP currently stands at 105.
In case the rebel lawmakers are re-elected, the BJP will be forced to run a minority government, on which the party has not made any decision.
“Even with the support of two Independents, we will be still 6 short of the halfway mark at 107 (105 + 2) if we are asked to prove majority by the Governor after forming the new government,” the BJP spokesperson said.
In case the Speaker takes more time to decide on their resignations, the rebels are likely to approach the apex court again for its intervention as their plea before the bench was for directing the Speaker to accept the resignation letters forthwith since the ones re-submitted on July 11 were in the prescribed order.
Earlier this month, 16 lawmakers, 13 from the Congress and 3 from the JDS had put in their papers over dissatisfaction with the then ruling coalition government.
With IANS inputs