Bengaluru: With special meal, pillows to rest, BJP begins overnight 'dharna'

With pillows to rest and a cook to prepare food, the BJP has begun its overnight "dharna" in the Vidhana Soudha here against the Congress-JD(S) government in the state for dragging its feet on trust vote.

The party's state unit president BS Yeddyurappa announced to stage a night-long-sit-in with party MLAs in the Assembly to protest against the Congress-JD(S) government.

BJP legislator Prabhu Chauhan was seen coming with a bed and pillow for the protest in the Vidhana Soudha, while others were seen carrying food plates and bucket.

Two chapatis, curd rice for 250 members (including legislators) for dinner has been arranged, said TR Bhatt, who is arranging food for the legislators.

"For breakfast tomorrow morning, it is Idli, Vada with Coffee," he said.

Talking about the Governor's letter, former speaker KG Bopaiah said, "It is not a letter. It is a direction under the constitution. As per the constitution, he can issue a direction to the Chief Minister to prove majority."

Asked if BJP sees "opportunity" in it, he said, "Why not? The opportunity does not arise here. It is the constitutional obligation of the Chief Minister to prove majority on the floor of the house. So, the majority has to be proven on the floor of the house and not in the governor's house."

Shortly after the Karnataka Assembly was adjourned on Thursday without a trial of strength, Governor Vajubhai Vala wrote a letter to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy asking him to prove majority on the floor of the House by tomorrow afternoon.

Vala told Kumaraswamy to prove his government's majority by 1.30 pm on Friday.

Eighteen MLAs were not present in the Assembly when the House took up the vote of confidence for debate.

The MLAs who were absent include Byrathi Basavaraj, Munirathna, S T Somashekar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Roshan Baig, Srimanth Patil, Anand Singh, B Nagendra, R Shankar, K Gopalaiah, Narayana Gowda, M T B Basavaraj, B C Patil, H Vishwanath, Mahesh Kumthahalli, Prathap Gouda Patil, Dr Sudhakar and Shivaram Hebbar.

The 13-month-old Congress-JDS government had earlier this month slumped into a minority following the resignation of the dissident MLAs. Sixteen MLAs from the ruling coalition including thirteen Congress and three JD(S)MLAs have resigned.

If the dissident MLAs, who are in Mumbai, are counted out, the BJP appears to have the support of 105 MLAs in the 225-member state Assembly including one nominated MLA.