After an unverified video clip of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa expressing his concern for the 17 disqualified legislators went viral, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the matter on Monday, November 4.
In the video, Yediyurappa can be heard saying the disqualified MLAs are being neglected by the Bharatiya Janata Party even though it was their resignation from Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) that led to the formation of the saffron government after the HD Kumaraswamy-led government collapsed.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Congress, mentioned the leaked videotape before Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana, who said that the matter will likely be heard on November 5. Sibal claimed that the purported clip should be taken on record with the ongoing petitions filed by the disqualified MLAs.
Karnataka Congress leaders had said that they will use the video as a proof against the BJP for poaching the party leaders by carrying out 'Operation Lotus' in the disqualified MLAs case. The 17 legislators had challenged their disqualification from the Assembly which was ordered by then-Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar. SC had reserved order on the petition of these MLAs
The party leaders have demanded Yediyurappa's resignation and asked Governor Vajubhai Vala to write to President Ramnath Kovind to take action against Amit Shah for supervising the collapse of the coalition government in Karnataka.
BJP blames Siddaramiah for leaking video
Opposition leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: "What Yediyurappa and Amit Shah did was a conspiracy to murder democracy and a violation of the constitution. Both the Chief Minister and Home Minister have no right to hold a constitutional post."
However, Yediyurappa said that he never promised party tickets to the disqualified MLAs and that they resigned voluntarily. He said that the Congress leaders demanding his resignation are trying to mislead the SC in the disqualified MLAs' case with the video clip.
The BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel has accused Siddaramaiah of leaking the video and the party is planning to hold an internal inquiry into the leakage of the video.
