No move to change speaker, says CM

Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday ruled out any move to replace the speaker of the assembly K G Bopaiah in view of the Supreme Court (SC) passing strictures against him.

“There will be no violation of the SC order if we do not change the speaker,” he told reporters, here on Wednesday.

The chief minister, who met governor H R Bharadwaj and requested him formally to accord permission to hold the legislative session from June 2, 2011, said the governor heard him quietly and asked to wait for a day. “The governor told us that he was waiting for a reply to his report from the Central government. Once the Centre replies to his letter, he will inform us about the permission to hold the assembly session,” Yeddyurappa said.

Earlier, the governor had not responded to the request of the state cabinet for holding the assembly session from May 16. Subsequently, the state cabinet met again on May 16 and resolved: “It was necessary to urgently pass the full budget for better implementation of the development programmes announced in the budget for 2011-12.”

He also said there have been some early rains in several parts of the state and hence it has become imperative to advance the schedule in respect of some of the government’s programmes. Hence, it was essential to seek the passage of the budget at the earliest and the governor was requested to approve the state cabinet resolution for holding the session, he said.

Yeddyurappa said he enjoys the support of 121 members in the house and would complete the remaining two years in office. To a question if the BJP would continue its protest against the governor, he said, “The party will continue to hold peaceful protest against the governor.”

Earlier, this morning, BJP workers staged protest rallies against the governor for recommending dismissal of the B S Yeddyurappa government at many places in the state. Protests were held in various parts of Bangalore and also in some parts of the state.

In Bangalore, the BJP workers burnt the effigy of Bhardwaj and raised slogans against him. State BJP unit president K S Eswarappa, who arrived this morning from Delhi, stressed the party’s demand for the recall of Bhardwaj, whom he accused of making efforts to dislodge the government ever since he assumed office of the Governor.

He expressed hope that the Centre would not accept the recommendation of the governor to bring Karnataka under the President’s rule.