By IANS,
Bangalore : The Karnataka legislature Friday witnessed uproarious scenes as angry opposition Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) members took on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its alleged attempts to encourage defection.
“This is a murder of democracy,” several Congress and JD-S members shouted in the assembly, seeking immediate discussion on Thursday’s resignation of a JD-S law maker from the house and his plans to join the BJP.
The Congress members walked out of the house and the JD-S legislators gathered near the speaker’s podium and shouted slogans as their demand was rejected.
The attack on BJP followed Thursday’s resignation of JD-S’ Sanganna Karadi who indicated that he would join the ruling party soon.
His resignation takes the number of opposition members who have quit the assembly to join BJP since it came to power in May 2008 to more than 10.
To beat the anti-defection law, these opposition party members quit the assembly, necessitating a by-poll, which they contest as BJP candidates.
Seven have won the bypolls, of which four more are due with Karadi’s resignation. Three others have quit in the last two months.
Leader of the JD-S in the assembly H.D. Revanna raised the issue of Sanganna’s resignation and sought immediate discussion as impression was gaining ground that legislators “can be bought”.
He was supported by Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah of Congress who said BJP’s “Operation Lotus” was “murder of democracy”. The issue figured in the legislative council also where too BJP was slammed for its “Operation Lotus”.
BJP is said to have launched “Operation Lotus” to lure opposition legislators as it did not win a clear majority in the May 2008 assembly polls. Lotus is the election symbol of BJP.
With Karadi’s resignation, the effective strength of the assembly has come down to 205 with the BJP having 106 (including speaker), Congress 71, JD-S 26, one Independent and one nominated member.
The total strength of the assembly is 225, including the nominated member.
However the strength has been reduced to 205 following the disqualification of 16 legislators – 11 of BJP and five Independents – and resignation of four members including Karadi’s Thursday.