Amid stiff opposition from both BJP and JD(S), Karnataka Legislative Assembly today passed a bill to trifurcate Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the city civic body, with a voice vote after it was defeated in the opposition-dominated Legislative Council.
Members of the BJP and JDS entered the well of the House and later staged a walkout calling government's action "dictatorial". The bill was yesterday defeated in the Council.
As Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra rose to introduce The Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2015, in the Assembly for re-consideration, BJP objected to it.
"This has been defeated by the upper House. This bill is against the wish of the people of Bengaluru. We don't want the Bengaluru that was founded by Kempe Gowda to be divided," Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said.
Dividing Bengaluru will also lead to extra financial burden, he said.
As opposition members alleged that government was in a hurry to divide the city to defer the elections for the civic body, ruling Congress members raised objections to it, which resulted in war of words between both sides.
Intervening, Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa observed that the bill passed by this House and getting defeated at the council was not a good sign.
After failing to get the Governor's assent for an ordinance on trifurcation of BBMP, the government had called for the special session of Karnataka Legislature in April to get legislative approval for the bill.
The Assembly on April 20 had passed the bill to trifurcate Bengaluru, while the Council on April 27 had referred it to the Select Committee.
Opposition Leader Jagadish Shettar alleged government has a malafide intention in trying to pass the bill in a hurry as they do not want BBMP elections to be held now, fearing defeat.
