Karnataka Assembly waver on motion of thanks

Bangalore, Feb 27: Members of Opposition and the treasury benches of the Karnataka Assembly members today (Feb 27, 2006)vacillated over taking up the motion of thanks to the Governor's Address for discussion.

As soon as the motion of thanks for the Governor's Address was moved by Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh, who termed it as 'illegal and unconstitutional', the address T N Chaturvedi delivered by the Governor to the house on February 24 as he had already delivered an address to the joint session on January 19 was still to be decided. The new Government headed by the coalition partners of Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party could not do it according to its whims and fancies, he felt.

Another senior Congress member and former Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, endorsed his views and urged the chair to ensure that bad precedent was not created by allowing the motion of thanks to the Governor's address. Since the Governor had delivered the special address to the joint session under the section 175, there was no need for any discussion, he felt.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa recalled that the legislators, who had met the Governor on January 18 night, had urged him not to refrain from addressing the joint session the next day since the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) Government had been reduced to minority. He clarified that the previous Government resigned due to loss of majority. The Governor had addressed the joint session afresh and the house was moving the motion of thanks to the address, he clarified.

Other members including former Speaker Ramesh Kumar, Vatal Nagaraj and former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too participated in the discussion and urged the speaker not to allow discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address.

Sensing the mood of the members, belonging to various political parties, was in favour of participating in the discussion, Speaker Krishna adjourned the house for lunch break.

UNI