No threat to Karnataka Govt.: CM Jagadish Shettar

Jagadish-ShettarBangalore, Feb  4 : Reiterating that there was no threat to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government, Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Monday excluded confidence of presenting a good budget on February 8.

"I already expressed that there is no threat to the government. I am smoothly running the government. I am confident that nothing will happen and on 8th February I will present the good budget," he told the media here.

The joint session of the Karnataka legislature began here today against the backdrop of political uncertainty in the state after resignation of 13 BJP legislators loyal to the B S Yeddyurappa''s outfit.

Despite being reduced to wafer thin majority following a barrage of resignations, the BJP Government in Karnataka has assured of completing its full term.

In the 224-member Assembly, the BJP has a strength of 117 excluding the Speaker and requires 113 for a simple majority. These resignations, if accepted, will bring down BJP''s strength in the House to 104, including the Speaker. BJP has the support of one of the seven Independents who is a cabinet minister.

The effective strength of the House, however, is 210 as there are 14 vacancies, created by desertion from the BJP ranks. Congress has 71 members and the Janata Dal-Secular 26. There are six other Independents. (ANI)