eNarada, Bengaluru, Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Wednesday is the D-day for Karnataka Legislative Council chairman DH Shankarmurthy as he faces a no-confidence motion. The no confidence motion was moved by the Congress recently.
Currently, Congress has 36 members (including support from independents), while BJP has 24 members in the council. There is still no clarity whether the JD(S) will support Shankarmurthy (in which case, Shankarmurthy can easily win) or abstain from voting (which would mean that Shankaramurthy has to quit).
Till Tuesday night, Shankarmurthy was seen holding parleys with BJP and JD(S) leaders seeking their support. However, it seems that Shankaramurthy has not got any confirmed indication from the JD(S).
Sources said that Shankaramurthy is trying to get in touch with former PM Deve Gowda seeking the support while Congress state unit president G Parameshwara met Deve Gowda at his residence seeking his support.
Sources close to Shankarmurthy said that the veteran BJP leader would wait till Wednesday morning to decide on his move. If he gets assurance from the JD(S) supremo of a vote in his favour, he would face the no confidence motion and if no assurance is made, then he would likely to quit even before facing the vote.
It may be recalled that Shankaramurthy has been continuing as the chairman as BJP had an alliance with JD(S) in the council as BJP has supported JD(S) MLC Maritibbe Gowda for the deputy chairman’s post.
