BJP mulling no-confidence motion against Speaker, JDS rules

A day after it came to power in Karnataka, the BJP is contemplating bringing a no-confidence motion against assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, if he does not voluntarily vacate the post, party sources said Saturday.

The message has been discreetly conveyed to Kumar to give up the post, which is conventionally held by a member from the ruling party, the sources said, ahead of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa moving the confidence motion in the assembly on Monday to prove his majority.

"We will move the no-confidence motion against the Speaker if he himself does not resign," a senior state BJP leader told PTI requesting anonymity.

"Our first agenda is to win the confidence motion and get the finance bill passed on Monday. We will wait and see whether the Speaker steps down on his own," he added
After a meeting of JDS MLAs on Friday, party senior leader G T Devegowda had said "Some have suggested that we should sit in opposition, while some legislators are of the opinion that we should support the BJP from outside."
The JDS patriarch said, "There is no big deal in saying so (support to BJP). His (H T Devegowda's) intention was that the finance bill was passed (before July 31) because it was a budget presented by Kumaraswamy."
Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the government of the BJP in Karnataka was not "constitutionally or ethically formed" and called it "a victory of horse-trading."