The new protem speaker of Karnataka assembly, K G Bopaiah has been 4 times BJP MLA from Virajpet in Kodagu. He has served as speaker during BSY’s tenure, was instrumental in saving the BJP govt when BSY faced imminent loss of trust motion in 2010-11
In October 2010, 11 BJP MLAs including Balachandra Jarakiholi, Belur Gopalkrishna, & S K Bellubbi along with 5 independents(including Gulihatti Shekhar who is now a BJP MLA) who had been dropped from the cabinet had rebelled against BSY & had withdrawn their support to Govt!
BJP had won 110 seats in 2008 & had formed the govt with the help of 6 ind MLAs(5 of them were made ministers). But by Oct-08, BJP’s strength had risen to 121 due to ‘Operation Kamala’. The ind MLAs were dropped from cabinet. These along with disgruntled BJP MLAs staged a coup!
This same H D Kumaraswamy had gone to the Goa resort where 11 rebel BJP MLAs were camped, and had done a joint pressor, in desperate hopes of becoming CM, despite having only 23 members in the assembly at that point!
Then governor, who was a steadfast Sonia family man had promptly declared that the govt had lost the trust of the house and had asked for a fresh trust vote. Then speaker of the house, K G Bopaiah had swiftly disqualified the 11 rebel BJP MLAs & 5 independents from the house!
What ensued on 14th of October, 2010, the day of the trust vote, is still remembered as one of the most disgraceful days in the legislative history of Karnataka. The disqualified MLAs, especially the ind MLAs had torn their shirts and climbed the gates of Vidhana Soudha!
BSY had won the trust vote 108-97 on that fateful day. The rebels and independents later moved SC against Speaker Bopaiah’s order disallowing them to vote at the trust vote. SC seat aside the disqualification and Bharadwaj swiftly recommended President’s rule to be imposed!
If the UPA govt had imposed President’s rule, BSY would’ve come back with a clear mandate. But the UPA chairperson had other plans. She dismissed the recommendation only to insidiously kill the 1st BJP govt in the south by hounding BSY in corruption cases through central agencies
In the mean time, the rebels were pacified by BJP and they declared unconditional support to BSY govt. In a fresh trust vote in May 2011, BSY proved his majority 119-0 amid walkout by Cong & JDS MLAs. Some of those rebels and ind MLAs are now members of 15th assembly from BJP!
So nothing comes easy for BSY. He was attacked by goons and almost lost his life when he was the chairman of Shikaripura town council. He lost his first trust vote in 2007 as JDS betrayed him. He then faced serial rebellions in 2010-11, then was hounded endlessly. Now this!
