Bengaluru, Sep 27 (IANS): Karnataka ruling BJP defeated no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition Congress through voice vote on Saturday.
The no-confidence motion was moved by the Opposition party Congress two days ago and the speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri allowed the motion on Saturday late in the evening.
The leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah used this opportunity to make allegations on Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa and his family members.
He partially succeeded in his agenda, but it CM Yeddyurappa who singlehandedly put the Kuruba strongman in the dock by asking him to prove allegations against him or his family members.
Yediyurappa who had learnt his lessons from his past experience seem to have to his rescue this time. In his first term as CM, between 2008-11, he had fell on the trap of Opposition and ordered Lokayukta probe into multi-crore illegal mining scam, which resulted in his arrest too and cost his seat thereafter.
This time, he played a shrewd game by asking Kuruba strongman to prove the allegations. By doing this, he has made Congress party to think twice before making any allegations against him.
In case if the Siddaramaiah tries to pursue this, he and Congress can be portrayed as villan in the eyes of Lingayats, to which Yediyurappa belongs.
Will ensure Congress sits in oppn for next 10 yrs: Yediyurappa
Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa on Saturday asserted his dream is to ensure BJP's victory in next Assembly elections and make Congress to sit in Opposition for 10 years in a row.
Replying to a no-confidence motion here, Yediyurappa said angrily that how can the Congress make mockery of the mandate given to the BJP in Karnataka?
"We won 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats. What does that indicate? Of the by-elections to 15 Assembly seats, we won 12 recently. What does that mean? It only means that people have immense faith in me and my government," he asserted.
He further added that his dream was to ensure the Congress sat in the opposition for next 10 years in Karnataka. "This is my open challenge to you both Siddaramaiah and D. K. Shivakumar that I will ensure my party's victory in 130 to 140 seats next time. Be careful, don't mock at the mandate given to me in this state," he retorted to Leader of the Opposition, Siddaramaiah's mocking remarks that the BJP government is an illegitimate child.
Charging that the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah itself was indulged in huge corruption, as he could not complete his own assurances. "Siddaramaiah had assured that he would complete 15 lakh houses but he could not complete it in his term. He assured Rs 1.3 lakh crore worth irrigation projects but he could sanction only Rs 10,000 crore. That is why people cursed you and your party. That is why you are sitting in the Opposition. You will continue to sit in the opposition," he said.
While responding to several queries raised by Siddaramaiah, Yediyurappa reiterated that he had given blanket permission to Siddaramaiah to prove allegations leveled against him and his family members.
"It is your (Siddaramaiah) duty to prove the allegations. I stand by my words, if you prove a single charge against me or my family, will retire from public life," he said.