Sreeramulu, JD(S) for defeat of CM in by-polls: Congress

Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Assembly and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday said JD(S) and BJP rebel leaders and Bellary strongman B Sreeramulu have assured support to the party to defeat Chief Minister D V Sadnanada Gowda in the December 22 Legislative Council by-election.

“We will do everything possible to defeat Sadananda Gowda in the election to the Legislative Council. JD(S) and Sreeramulu have assured support to Congress in this regard,” he told reporters here. His statement comes in the wake of internal dissensions in the ruling BJP with Sreeramulu claiming to enjoy support of 22 BJP legislators, which is enough to bring down the government.

Siddaramaiah said the government would fall if Gowda loses the election. “In this possible scenario, Karnataka will either be under President’s Rule or go for fresh elections,” he said. He rejected former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s request to Congress not to field a candidate for the polls, saying, “We will not change our plans to field our candidate. We will definitely field a candidate and make serious efforts to defeat Sadananda Gowda.”

On the party’s stand on fight against illegal mining, if Sreeramulu supports Congress to defeat Gowda, he said there is no question of protecting him. “We will continue our fight against illegal mining despite Sreeramulu’s support,” Siddaramiah said. To another query, he said there was no question of External Affairs Minister S M Krishna’s resigning following the filing of an FIR against him in the Lokayukta court for his alleged role in dereserving forest land for illegal mining.

“The demand for Krishna’s resignation is politically motivated. Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has denied his (Krishna’s) role in illegal mining. Demanding Krishna’s resignation is incorrect,” Siddaramaiah said. He said, BJP’s recommendation of appointing Justice Bannurmath for Lokayukta post has raised suspicion over its intentions.

The BJP government and Governor H R Bhardwaj are at loggerheads over appointment of Justice Bannurmath as Lokayukta as he is facing allegations of securing allotment of a residential site in judicial layout on a land earmarked for civic amenities.

Meanwhile, Gowda on Monday filed his nomination for the December 22 bypoll to the Legislative Council.

Gowda was accompanied by his predecessor B S Yeddyurappa, BJP state unit President K S Eshwarappa and several Cabinet colleagues and ruling party MLAs. He submitted papers to the Assembly Secretary, P Omprakasha at Vidhan Soudha, the state Secretariat. Assembly members comprise the electoral college.

In the 225-member Assembly, which includes a nominated member, BJP has the support of 121, including Textiles Minister Varthur Prakash, an independent, and the Speaker K G Bopaiah. The Congress has 71 and the JD(S) 26.

There are six independents, including B Sriramulu, who recently won the Bellary (Rural) bypoll after walking out of the ruling BJP.

“I have special trust in our MLAs. I am 100 per cent sure that they will cast their ballot for me,” Gowda told reporters earlier in the day. A Lok Sabha member, he took over as Chief Minister from Yeddyurappa on August 4 after he was asked to quit by the party Central leadership in the wake of the Lokayukta report on illegal mining indicting him.

He has to get elected from either House of the legislature within six months of the swearing-in to continue in his post as per constitutional provisions.