BENGALURU: After the much-debated Land Reforms and APMC amendment bills got stuck in the Upper House, the ruling BJP plans to join hands with the Janata Dal (S) to elect a new Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the state Legislative Council. Sources said the BJP is even ready to give the Council Chairman’s post to the JDS.
If the BJP has to move a proposal for the election of a new chairman or a deputy chairman before their term is over, it must have majority. By joining hands with the JDS, the BJP will have the numbers.According to BJP members in the Upper House, current Chairman Prathap Chandra Shetty, who was elected to the post when the JDS-Congress coalition was in power in the state, allegedly favoured the Congress in ensuring that the bills were not passed in the House on the last day of the session.
The APMC Amendment Bill, Land Reforms Bill and amendment to Industrial Disputes Bill were passed in the Assembly, but failed to sail through the Council.On Saturday, 40 MLCs were present in the House when the Industrial Disputes Bill was put to vote. Of them, only 14 MLCs voted in favour while 26, including the JDS members, voted against it. However, the House which debated the Land Reforms Bill till 1 am was adjourned before it was passed or even put to vote. BJP floor leader and minister Kota Srinivas Poojary had opposed the move.
BJP sources said they will soon meet Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to discuss the future course of action.At present, the Council has 71 members — Congress 29, BJP 27, JDS 14 and one independent. Elections for the remaining four seats will be held on October 28, the Election Commission of India announced on Tuesday.
Even if BJP wins all four seats, it will still not have a majority vis-a-vis the Congress-JDS combine. A senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity told The New Indian Express, “Party leaders will decide when and where to approach the JDS. The JDS can take the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman’s post. The BJP member will take the remaining post,” the BJP leader said and added that in the next session, the party was confident of getting the bills passed. S L Dharme Gowda from the JDS is the Deputy Chairman in the Council. “We might demand the Chairman’s post. Our party leaders will decide,” said a JDS leader.