Governor asks BJP to prove majority in Karnataka

Bangalore, May 31: Putting the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) in a piquant situation, Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur has asked the B S Yeddyurappa government, which assumed office yesterday, to prove its majority in the Assembly before his customary address.

The BJP delegation, accompanied by Advocate General Uday Holla, met Mr Thakur last night to invite him to address the joint session. However, the Governor asked the party to prove its majority in the House as it had not won a majority on its own. He would then address the joint Session, the Governor told them. The Yeddyurappa-led government had obtained the support of all the six Independent legislators to form the government. The BJP had fallen just three seats short of a simple majority, winning 110 seats in the 224-member Assembly.

A top party functionary told UNI that the Governor was bound by the Constitution, which made it 'mandatory' for him to address the joint session whenever a new government was installed or on the first day of the first session during a year. The vote of confidence would come next.

''We are absolutely comfortable with the numbers. We have also proved it in front of the Governor himself, before he invited us to form the government. If he insists, we are not averse to prove it again. But Article 176 of the Constitution clearly states that the Governor's address comes first,'' he said.

The Yeddyurappa government had called for a three-day special session from June four to seek the vote of confidence.

The BJP leader said Advocate General Uday Holla tried to convince the Governor, quoting from the Constitution.

However, Mr Thakur reportedly insisted that the BJP should take the confidence vote before he addressed the House.

UNI