Karnataka assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar (ANI photo)

BENGALURU: The vote of confidence to be moved by CM BS Yediyurappa on Monday is expected to have a smooth passage, but the Karnataka assembly is likely to witness more "drama" with BJP planning to move a no-confidence motion against speaker KR Ramesh Kumar . Party sources said Kumar has been discreetly asked to give up the post, which is conventionally held by a member from the ruling party.

Meanwhile, differences have seemingly cropping up within JD(S), with some MLAs "not averse to" extending external support to BJP. But BJP, which has the edge now, is "not open" to any offer of support from JD(S).

The decision on moving the no-confidence motion against Kumar is likely to be taken at the BJP legislators' meeting scheduled at 3pm on Sunday. Kumar, who holds a quasi-judicial authority, is yet to pronounce his verdict on the 14 rebel MLAs' resignations and thus holds the key to a stable BJP government led by Yediyurappa. According to BJP legislators, Yediyurappa's first agenda on Monday is to win the trust vote and pass the finance bill before considering removal of the speaker.

Former minister GT Devegowda, after a meeting on Friday late evening, had said that a section of his colleagues were considering to give "outside support" to BJP to have a stable government in Karnataka.

At a meeting of workers on Saturday, JD(S) supremo HD Devegowda sought to play down talks of offer of support to BJP.

"There is nothing wrong in GT Devegowda's statement. The coalition government was formed on the assumption that it will be in power for 60 months and we had to go out in 14 months. They must be feeling bad about it. We have our workers to save the party," he said. At the meeting, former CM HD Kumarswamy proposed that the party should function as a responsible opposition and lend (support) to BJP when they do good work. He took to twitter saying: "I have observed the baseless news of JD(S) joining hands with the BJP. These speculations are far from the truth and neither our legislators need to give it credence."

Speaker's options

Pronounce the verdict on the resignations of the 14 MLAs, cite his inability to continue in the chair and step down. This will leave BJP in a peculiar situation of having to elect a pro-tem speaker to conduct the trust vote and pass the finance bill.



In Video: BJP may bring no-confidence motion against Karnataka assembly speaker