BJP baffled as it lacks numbers, says Congress

Congress senior leaders Gulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ashok Gehlot with others march towards Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, on Friday. Pic/PTI

Hailing the Supreme Court's order of holding floor test in the Karnataka assembly as "historic", the Congress accused the BJP of being "baffled" and "frustrated", as it lacked numbers to prove majority and objected to the appointment of a BJP MLA as the pro-tem speaker ahead of the confidence vote on Saturday.

Addressing the media, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi contended that a "senior most" legislator from any party should be appointed as the pro-tem speaker "as per convention". According to the Congress, its eight-time MLA R V Deshpande is the senior most lawmaker in the assembly. "It is a historic interim order by the apex court. It is historic because directly, with this degree of specificity it is raised for the first time, the extent of rights and discretion of the governor to call 'A' or 'B' for government formation immediately after the election," Singhvi said.

To a question that the BJP has accused the Congress of being "baffled and frustrated" to retain power in the southern state, Singhvi said it was "ironical and funny" for the NDA major to have said so "in the face of defeat".