Council drama: Karnataka BJP defers anti-conversion bill

The ruling BJP's plan to somehow get the anti-conversion bill passed in the Legislative Council, where it does not have a majority, fell flat and the government ended up withdrawing its decision to table it in the upper house.

What led to the withdrawal is nothing short of a drama that saw the BJP make a desperate attempt to have just the right number on the floor to ensure passage of the Bill. It was passed in the Assembly on Thursday.

After the first half, the Council was adjourned for lunch. The session was to meet at 3 pm. But, it was not until 4 pm that the House resumed. In the meantime, the BJP chalked out a strategy.

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Several BJP members, including Council deputy chairperson MK Pranesh, had left Belagavi. The ruling party summoned them to return, and the Council was kept waiting. Several Congress MLCs, too, had left Belagavi and the BJP stood a chance to get the Bill passed with whatever numbers they had on the floor.

At around 3.45 pm, BJP's floor leader Kota Srinivas Poojary and other party leaders went to Council chairperson Basavaraj Horatti's chamber for a discussion.

Realising the plot, Congress MLCs rushed into Horatti's chamber and questioned the delay in resuming the House. That is when the quorum bell started ringing.

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“They knew they lacked a majority. They wanted to get the Bill passed when the Opposition had fewer members on the floor. Earlier, they had said the Bill will not be tabled. They deliberately delayed the tabling of the Bill since morning so that their members can return to Belagavi,” Opposition chief whip M Narayanaswamy said.

After the House reassembled, Horatti said that the delay in the proceedings was unintentional. Opposition members urged Horatti to give them time to recall their members, or adjourn the session. Apparently, some Congress MLCs had booked their flights in the anticipation that the Council will be adjourned sine die.

Horatti adjourned the House for five minutes to hold parleys between the ruling and the opposition sides.

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Thereafter, Poojary told the Council that the Bill will not be tabled. It will be taken up in the next session.

Later, Deputy Chairman Pranesh adjourned the House sine die.

According to sources, the episode embarrassed Horatti to the extent that he considered resigning.

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