Karnataka: BJP’s pro tem speaker Bopaiah helped BSY in 2010 trust vote

Raising questions over the appointment of KG Bopaiah as pro tem speaker of the Karnataka assembly, Congress-JD(S) moved a petition in the Supreme Court on Friday evening.

The Congress party termed KG Bopaiah’s appointment as pro tem speaker as “third encounter of the constitution” by the governor Governor Vajubhai Vala.

But, it is not for the first time when Bopaiah’s appointment has created controversy. Eight years ago, in 2010 Bopaiah had faced SC wrath for favouring then Chief Minister of Karnataka, Yeddyurappa during trust vote. He was pro tem speaker of the Karnataka Assembly then too.

In 2010, delivering its verdict on the petition filled by Balachandra L Jarkiholi, the Supreme Court had not only quashed Bopaiah’s decision but criticised his role as a speaker too. The SC had acerbically remarked that Bopaiah’s decision was “partisan”.

Bopaiah had disqualified 11 rebel BJP MLAs and 5 Independent MLAs during a no-confidence motion in 2010 to favour Yeddyurappa.

The Supreme Court had then observed:

• The producer adopted by the Speaker seems to indicate that he was trying to meet the time schedule set by the governor for trail of the strength in the assembly and to ensure that the Appellants and the other independent MLAs stood disqualified prior to the date on which the floor test was to be held.
• Unless it was it was to ensure that the trust vote did not go against the chief minister, there was no conceivable reason for the speaker to have taken up the disqualification in such a great hurry.
• This conduct on the part of the speaker is also indicative of the “hot haste” with which the speaker disposed of the disqualification petition as complained of by the appellant. The question does, therefore arises as to why the Speaker did not send copies of the affidavit affirmed and filed by the Eswarappa as also the affidavit of the two MLAs, who had originally withdrawn support to the Government led by Yeddyurappa, but were later allowed to retract their statements, to the Appellant.
• The explanation given by the Speaker that the Appellant had filed detailed replies to the showcase notice does not stand up to the test of fairness.

Bopaiah – an ABVP activist turned politician — had been made a pro tem speaker in 2010. He served as a president of the BJP’s Kodagu unit. He was elected an MLA from Madikeri in 2004. In 2008, he was again elected from Virajpet assembly seat.