The stage is set for the BJP to prove its majority on the floor of the house with legislators on their way to take oath in the Karnataka assembly on Saturday.

The floor test has been scheduled for 4 PM.  Two of the Congress legislators, Anand Singh and Pratap Gowda are apparently missing from the assembly, sources said.

In another development, two independent MLAs, are learnt to have decided to vote for the BJP. If both the independents decide to do so, then the BJP's numbers will swell to 106 and if the two Congress MLAs continue to go missing, then the total strength of the assembly will reduce to 220.

If that happens, then the BJP will need another five MLAs to either abstain or vote for them during the floor test. 

The Supreme Court has already said that the entire proceedings in the assembly should be telecast live after the Congress moved the apex court to restrain the pro-tem speaker, K C Bopaiah from presiding during the floor test.

Bopaiah has a controversial past. He disqualified 11 BJP MLAs and five independents after they opposed the continuation of the government under the then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. This helped the BJP Government to survive in its first stint in power.

Earlier, a Supreme Court order drastically reduced the 15 days’ time given by Governor Vajubhai Vala to Yeddyurappa to prove his majority.

The Supreme Court at 10.30 am today commenced the crucial hearing on Congress-JD(S) combine’s petition challenging the Governor’s decision to appoint BJP MLA K G Bopaiah as pro tem speaker for holding the floor test for Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to prove his majority in the House.

The combine contended it was contrary to the tradition of choosing the senior-most legislator for the post. A four-time MLA, Bopaiah was the Karnataka Assembly speaker from 2009 to 2013 and had disqualified 16 MLAs and bailed out the then B S Yeddyurappa government ahead of a no-confidence vote in 2010.

The Congress and JD(S) MLAs who were camping at a hotel in Hyderabad, fearing alleged attempts of poaching by the BJP, came back to the city this morning.

According to the directions of the apex court, the police have made massive security arrangements in and around the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the state legislature, for the smooth conduct of the floor test.

Public entry to the Vidhana Soudha has been restricted and officials and staff of the Secretariat are being allowed to enter the premises after thorough checks.

Elections held on May 12 to 222 of the 224 constituencies in the state threw up a hung assembly with the BJP emerging the single largest party having 104 MLAs, seven short of the half mark of 111, while the Congress won 78 seats and JD(S) 37.

Yeddurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 17, two days after the results were declared, after the Governor accepted his claim to form the government.

The decision was challenged in the Supreme Court by the Congress and the JDS and passing interim orders on their petition, the court yesterday directed that the floor test be conducted today.

Striking a post-poll alliance, the combine has claimed the support of 117 MLAs, including one each from the BSP and the KPJP and one Independent.

As JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has won in two seats, the combined strength of Congress and JD(S) MLA’s while voting at the floor test is expected to stand at 117.

However, two Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Pratapgouda Patil reportedly went incommunicado, causing some worry to the grand old party.

On the other hand, Yeddyurappa has asserted that he has “100 per cent confidence” that he would prove his majority.

With the BJP having only 104 MLAs, it remains to be seen how the party will rustle up the numbers and prove majority.

Reports suggested that the BJP has reached out to the Congress and JD(S) MLAs, who are unhappy over coming together of their parties for power, to abstain from attending the House today.

Also, the other plan is to ensure that at least seven MLAs cross vote in BJP’s favour. The specially called assembly session begins at 11 am when the newly-elected MLAs would be administered oath by Bopaiah.

Voting will happen on the motion moved by the Chief Minister through the process of head count, where row by row counting of votes of those supporting and opposing the motion will take place.

In their plea before the apex court filed last night, the combine has termed as “brazenly unconstitutional” the action of the Governor in appointing “a junior MLA” as the pro tem speaker. The application also seeks certain urgent directions to ensure that the floor test is conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

The Supreme Court in 2011 had quashed Bopaiah’s decision as assembly speaker to disqualify 16 MLAs ahead of the no-confidence motion which had ensured survival of the then Yeddyurappa government.

(With inputs from PTI)

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