‘It is not late,’ Yeddyurappa tells Kumaraswamy, asks him to quit as CM

india

Updated: Jul 10, 2019 15:13 IST

Former Karnataka chief minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa asked the Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to quit since his government “doesn’t have the numbers” and “make way for a BJP government” in the state.

Yeddyurappa, on his way to meet the Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala with the demand to sack Kumaraswamy government added that “the coalition government had lost the moral right to continue.”

“At present coalition government has lot majority and moral right to continue. At this juncture I earnestly request Governor Vajubhai Vala to take cognisance of the unconstitutional behavior of the coalition government,” he said.

Moments earlier, the 76-year-old BJP state president in Karnataka had suggested that “it was not late” for Kumaraswamy to quit in the view of the looming Assembly session from July 12.

“On 12th July, Assembly session will begin but they don’t have the numbers, it will be an illegal session. It is not too late; you (Karnataka CM, HD Kumaraswamy) should resign and make way for a BJP government, he said.”

Yeddyurappa’s offensive comes amid frenetic efforts by both the BJP and the Congress-JD(S) coalition to seize control of the fluid political situation in the state.

Yeddyurappa has announced that he will also meet the Karnataka Assembly Speaker at 3 pm today to register protest over alleged tearing of resignation letters of some rebel MLAs by Congress leader & MLA DK Shivakumar on Saturday.

“I will meet the Speaker at 3 pm today. Speaker has still not condemned tearing up of resignations (of rebel MLAs) by DK Shivakumar. Tearing up of resignations is an ‘apradh’ (offence) that is unforgivable,” said Yeddyurappa.

As Congress’ chief troubleshooter DK Shivakumar parked himself outside Mumbai’s Renaissance Hotel, where the rebel MLAs are ensconced, the state BJP leaders protested outside Vidhana Soudha in Bangaluru seeking CM Kumaraswamy’s resignation.

Protesters raised slogans like “Down, down to the government that has lost majority... down, down to CM who wants to stick on to the chair.” Reported news agency ANI

In a separate development the rebel MLAs from both the Congress and the JD(S)

moved Supreme Court accusing the Speaker of abandoning his constitutional duty and deliberately delaying acceptance of their resignations. Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter tomorrow.