Yeddyurappa govt wins second trust vote

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today expectedly won a vote of confidence in the truncated state Assembly, a victory which will depend on the High Court's decision on the disqualification of 16 MLAs.

Facing the second trial of strength in four days, Yeddyurappa's motion expressing confidence in his council of ministers was carried by 106 votes supporting it and 100 against.

The BJP had the support of 105 MLAs and an Independent MLA, while Congress had 73, JD(S) 27 in a house of 206.

The proceedings were orderly and the vote was taken through head count unlike the pandemonium that surrounded Monday's controversial vote that was declared passed by a voice vote.

One Independent MLA, who was with the Opposition on Monday, sided with the Government today.

Earlier, Speaker K G Bopaiah rejected a plea of the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah for postponing today's vote in view of the hearing on disqualification petitions by the Karnataka High Court. The House was adjourned sine die later.

Two MLAs-- Manappa Vajjal from BJP and M C Ashwath of JD(S) were absent from the House, which brought down the effective strength of the 224-member assembly to 206.

Sixteen MLAs -- 11 from BJP and five Independents -- were disqualified under anti-defection law on October 10 by the Speaker ahead of the Monday's vote which has been challeneged in the High Court.

The court has reserved its orders on the plea of the BJP MLAs for quashing the Speaker's orders, while it adjourned hearing on the plea of the Independent MLAs to Monday.

Yeddyurappa was forced to go in for the second trial of strength after Governor H R Bhardwaj rejected the result of the Monday vote as "farce" and gave him another chance on Tuesday, which the BJP accepted.

On Monday evening, Bhardwaj had recommended to the Centre imposition of President's rule in Karnataka holding that the Constitution machinery had broken down.

The High Court also did not provide interim relief to disqualified MLAs and with the number favouring him in the assembly, Yeddyurappa accepted the Governor's offer to take the floor test, the second time.