KTK crisis: NDA to meet PM, asks BSY to parade supporting MLAS

New Delhi, May 16 (PTI) Taking on the Governor of the
south Indian state of Karnataka for recommending President's
Rule, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Monday decided to
meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand his dismissal and
asked Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to parade all his
supporting MLAs in front of the President.
"The NDA strongly condemns the action of Governor H R
Bhardwaj of Karnataka in sending a report to the Central
government. The governor's conduct is partisan. It defies all
constitutional norms and principles. There is absolutely no
doubt that the Yeddyurappa government enjoys an overwhelming
majority in the Assembly," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley told
reporters.
He maintained that as a result of the Supreme Court
of India judgement, the 11 suspended Members of Legislative
Assembly (MLAs) have been held to be members of the BJP and
were bound by its whip.
The NDA decided to meet the Indian Prime Minister to
raise this issue and demand recall of Governor Bhardwaj.
"We intend to raise two specific issues with the Prime
Minister. Firstly, this report is unconstitutional and
obviously must be rejected by the Central government. And
secondly, the governor of Karnataka repeatedly is indulging in
unconstitutionality. And so, for defying the Constitution he
should be recalled as governor," Jaitley said.
The NDA leadership has also asked Yeddyurappa to bring
all his MLAs to the capital and parade them in front of
President Pratibha Patil to prove that he has the numbers.
"We shall take all the MLAs supporting the government
to the President and demonstrate our strength in front of
Rashtrapati Bhawan since a floor test is no longer required,"
Jaitley said.
The "urgent meeting" of the NDA leaders was held at the
residence of their Working President L K Advani to discuss the
issue arising out of Bhardwaj's report which is said to have
recommended President's Rule in Karnataka.
Jaitley maintained that these 11 suspended MLAs have
taken back the letter they wrote on October 6, 2010
withdrawing support to the Yeddyurappa government.
"The MLAs have themselves said they support the
government," he added.
The NDA maintained that 121 MLAs support the
Yeddyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka while the
opposition has only 97 in the 225-member Assembly.
BJP is also miffed at Bhardwaj for not heeding to the
chief minister's advise to call a special session of the
Assembly today.
"The logical course would have been to have a floor
test. As long as a government is in majority the governor is
bound by the Constitution to act as per its advice. Bhardawj
has acted unconstitutionally in not going by the advise of the
council of ministers," Jaitley said.