Yeddyurappa wins Karnataka floor test

Bharatiya Janata Party crossed its final hurdle in Karnataka after it won the trust vote in the Karnataka legislative assembly on Friday amidst a walkout by the Congress.

Coverage: Karnataka Votes

The Speaker directed that a voice vote be held to decide the fate of the government.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa moved a motion seeking a vote of confidence in the legislative assembly at 1530 hours. The one line motion moved by Yeddyurappa requested the opposition to approve the motion without a debate. He requested that the vote of confidence be held immediately, but opposition Congress insisted that a debate be held before the vote of confidence takes place.

Soon after the debate, the Congress staged a walkout following which the trust vote was held.

The BJP won the vote of confidence through a voice vote, which included the support of the six independents, five of whom are in the cabinet. The BJP with 110 seats in the 224-member house formed the government with the help of six independent candidates.

Speaker Jagadish Shettar granted the House two hours time for a debate before holding the trust vote. The BJP was granted 55 minutes, Congress, 45 and Janata Dal-Secular 25 minutes to debate in the House.

Yeddyurappa started off by saying that he would abide by what the Governor had told the House earlier in the day. He assured the House of good governance and promised that development would be the prime focus of his government.

The Congress leaders, however, expressed reservations over the performance of the BJP government and added that there would be absolute chaos in the state. The Congress leaders, headed by opposition leader Mallikarjuna Kharge, staged a walk out minutes before the trust vote could take place.

The next assembly session will be held on June 23.

B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as Karnataka chief minister last Friday along with his 29 member Cabinet. With the trust vote now complete, Yeddyurappa would induct a few more legislators into his ministry and also allot portfolios to all those inducted into the ministry.