Contrary to expectations, the Budget session began on a quiet note on Monday with Governor H R Bhardwaj making his customary address to the joint session of the state legislature.
There was no table-thumping from the treasury benches nor brickbats from the Opposition as the Governor, in his 25-minute address, listed out the achievements of the first-ever BJP government in the state, which will complete its term shortly.
Although 14 BJP MLAs have resigned and the government is holding on to a wafer-thin majority, the Opposition parties did not raise the issue. Going by the present mood in their camp, it is unlikely that the Opposition will move a no-confidence motion.
“It is like flogging a dead horse,” Opposition leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said when asked by reporters if his party would move a no-confidence motion.
With this, all eyes will be on former chief minister and KJP chief B S Yeddyurappa.
Though Yeddyurappa told Express on Sunday that no more MLAs would resign, there are rumours in political circles that he has kept up his efforts to destabilise the government. If Yeddyurappa manages to get three to four more MLAs to resign in the next two-three days, the six-month old Jagadish Shettar government will plunge into a crisis. Otherwise, Shettar will have no problems in presenting his maiden Budget on Friday, as scheduled.
“Wait and see. There is a gap between today and Friday. Anything can happen,” KJP spokesperson MD Lakshminarayan said.