Yediyurappa Welcomes SC Verdict, Says It is Against 'Conspiracy' of Then Speaker, Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court decision to allow disqualified MLAs to contest polls, and termed it as verdict against the "conspiracy" of the then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar and Congress leader Siddaramaiah.

Expressing confidence that BJP would win all the 15seats, where bypolls are scheduled to be held on December 5, he said the party would decide on giving tickets to disqualified MLAs.

"The whole country was eagerly awaiting this verdict. The previous Speaker Ramesh Kumar had conspired along with Siddaramaiah (Congress leader) - Supreme Court has given clear decision to it," Yediyurappa said.

Welcoming the court decision to allow disqualified MLAs to contest the polls, he said, preparations have begun to win all the seats.

"From tomorrow itself all our ministers and leaders will take responsibility. We will put all efforts to win all the seats," he added.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the disqualification of 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs by the then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar but allowed them to contest the December five bypolls in the state.

The court struck down the portion of the order of then Speaker by which the legislators were disqualified till the end of the 15th Karnataka Assembly in 2023.

Responding to a question whether disqualified MLAs would get BJP tickets, Yediyurappa said, "we will discuss at the core committee meeting today and take decision by evening".

Asked if the 17 disqualified MLAs — 14 of the Congress and three belonging to the JDS — will be joining BJP, he said, "wait till evening.

They are all be coming back in the evening, I will discuss with them, also with national leaders and take an appropriate decision."

Bypolls to 15 of 17 seats represented by disqualified MLAs, whose resignation and absence from the trust vote led to the fall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, and made way for the BJP to come to power, will be held on December five.

BJP will need to win at least six out of those 15seats to remain in power.

Out of 15 seats that will go for bypolls, 12 were represented by Congress and three by JD(S).