BJP mulling no-confidence motion against Karnataka Assembly Speaker if he doesn’t resign

A day after it came to power in Karnataka, the BJP is contemplating bringing a no-confidence motion against assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, if he does not voluntarily vacate the post, party sources said Saturday.

The message has been discreetly conveyed to Kumar to give up the post, which is conventionally held by a member from the ruling party, they said.

"We will move the no-confidence motion against the Speaker if he himself does not resign," a ruling BJP MLA told PTI requesting anonymity.

The legislator added, "Our first agenda is to win the confidence motion and get the finance bill passed on Monday. We will wait and see whether the speaker steps down on his own." The MLA sought to know how there could be a Speaker from the opposition party.

"Once we win the confidence of the House, we will go ahead with moving no-confidence motion," he said.

In a sudden turn of events, the BJP led by B S Yediyurappa came to power Friday, barely 24 hours after Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar disqualified the three MLAs, Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli from Congress and independent MLA R Shankar.

The Speaker had even indicated that in a couple of days, he would take decision regarding rest of the MLAs including three from JD(S).

The raft of resignations by the rebel MLAs had brought down the coalition government in Karnataka and put the BJP on the straddle.