Special Correspondent

They hoped the Speaker would disqualify Kumaraswamy

They relied on a provision that bars a disqualified member from being appointed Minister Three Opposition members had filed a petition seeking the disqualification of Kumaraswamy

Bangalore: In the past two days, as the tide turned against the Government, some in the Congress camp had come to rely on the anti-defection law and the 97th Amendment to the Constitution to come to their rescue.

They were looking to Speaker Krishna to disqualify rebel Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy and Ministers and MLAs supporting him.

Vatal's move

Three Opposition members - Vatal Nagaraj (Kannada Chaluvali), G.V. Srirama Reddy (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and Rajendran (Republican Party of India) - who have openly supported the Government in the past few days, had filed a petition before the Speaker to disqualify Mr. Kumaraswamy and the MLAs supporting him.

The Congress group and some members of the Janata Dal (Secular), who had stood by the Government, had come to rely on section 1 (B) written into Article 164 of the Constitution through the 97th Amendment in 2003, which bars a disqualified legislator from being a Minister.

With the Speaker recognising Mr. Kumaraswamy as the leader of the Janata Dal (Secular) group, the anti-defection law was of no avail.