Karnataka crisis: BJP delegation to meet PM

New Delhi, Oct 13 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani will lead a delegation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday to seek Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj's removal.

The BJP is accusing Bhardwaj of plunging the state into a constitutional crisis.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has expressed his readiness to undergo the Vote of Confidence in the State Assembly on October 14 as directed by the Governor.

Bhardwaj had earlier written to Yeddyurappa asking him to prove his majority again on the floor of the Assembly by 11 a.m. on October 14.

In his letter, Bhardwaj said the trust vote on Monday was improper and that the BJP Government had failed to prove majority.

On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court had adjourned the hearing in a case related to disqualification of 16 MLAs by the Karnataka State Assembly Speaker, till Monday.

The High Court's Bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice N Kumar adjourned the hearing after arguments were concluded on behalf of 11 BJP MLAs and orders were reserved on their petition.

They were disqualified hours before the controversial trust vote won by the Yeddyurappa Government in the Assembly on Monday.

Bhardwaj had on October 10 written to the Speaker, asking him to conduct the trust vote on October 11 on the basis of the party positions as on October 6 - with the BJP at 116, the Congress at 73, the JD (S) at 28, Independents at six and the Speaker.

After the trust vote on Monday, Bhardwaj, had, in a report to the Centre, described the vote as "a farce" and recommended the President's rule.

Before the trust vote, the Speaker disqualified 16 rebel MLAs, including 11 from BJP under the provision of the anti defection law.

The disqualification of the MLAs had brought down the strength of the 224-member Assembly to 208. (ANI)