Cabinet for revocation of Prez rule in Karnataka
New
Delhi,
Nov
8:
The
Union
Cabinet
today
recommended
revocation
of
President's
Rule
in
Karnataka
and
revival
of
the
state
Assembly,
paving
way
for
the
installation
of
the
first-ever
BJP-led
coalition
government
in
a
southern
state.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs this morning, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after the meeting.
Mr Chidambaram said the Cabinet considered the report of the Home Ministry based the recommendations of Governor Rameshwar Thakur and decided to recommend to the President to revoke the President's Rule. The state was placed under the President's Rule on October 9 but the assembly was kept under suspended animation after the JD(S)- BJP Government, led by Mr H D Kumaraswamy, was reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support by the BJP. This was a consequence of the refusal of the JD (S) to transfer chief ministership to the BJP as per their agreement for heading the government for 20 months each.
The Cabinet also advised the President to initiate steps for the formation of the new Government.
The BJP-JD (S) combine, which has staked claim to form the government, enjoys support of 129 MLAs support in the 224-member House.
The President is expected to take necessary steps for reviving the assembly. The new government in the state will have a term of 19 months.
The state assembly has been kept under suspended animation for exactly a month. During this period, the JD (S) had reportedly attempted to form an alternative government with the support of the Congress. However when it did not materialise and the JD (S) was on the brink of large-scale defections threatening its very existence , the party revised its stand and offered 'unconditional support' to BJP leader Yediyurappa.
The two parties staked their claim on October 27 to form a new government and submitted individual affidavits to the Governor.
They even paraded their MLAs before the Governor and President Pratibha Patil.
Prior to this, a BJP delegation led by Leader of Opposition L K Advani had called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil seeeking their intervention on the issue.
The Government is expected to send its recommendation to the President today itself paving way for the installation of the new Government.
The BJP expressed its happiness over the Cabinet decision with senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu saying 'wisdom' had prevailed upon the ruling UPA coalition though very late. "This is a victory of the people of Karnataka and of democracy", he said before leaving for Chennai.
He
urged
the
state
Governor
to
invite
Mr
B
S
Yedyurappa,
the
Leader
of
the
Joint
Legislature
of
the
BJP-JD
(S)
parties
to
facilitate
the
formation
of
the
government
without
any
further
delay.
UNI