Yeddyurappa plans to line up MLAs before President

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who won vote of confidence in Assembly on Monday, has planned to move to New Delhi later on Tuesday to line up his ‘loyal MLAs’ before the President, even as a ruling by the state high court on disqualification of 16 rebel legislators is awaited..

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sources said Yeddyurappa ordered booking of Tuesday’s Delhi flight for the legislators to present them before President Pratibha Patil to prove the support he enjoyed i the Karnataka Assembly.

However, with the President away in Pune, he may have to wait till the evening to meet her.

“Today all BJP MLAs and MPs (from Karnataka) are going to Delhi under the leadership of Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and L K Advani. We are going to meet the President of India and we are going to explain everything to the President, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,” Yeddyurappa told reporters at the Bangalore airport before leaving for Delhi.

The dramatic events kept unfolding since October six after 19 MLAs revolted against the Chief Minister. But three of them later returned.

On Monday, hours before the vote of confidence, Speaker K G Bopaiah disqualified the 16 rebel legislators,11 belonging the BJP and five ndependent, under anti-defection law, which was later challenged in the Karnataka High Court.

Union Home ministry sources said the Centre was contemplating imposition of President’s rule in the state.