The party made the demand after two of its MLAs resigned from the assembly with the ruling BJP luring them.
An apparently bruised Congress today asked the Centre to impose president's rule in Karnataka after two of its MLAs resigned from the assembly, a step which, the party alleged, was due to the ruling BJP luring them.
The BS Yeddyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party government should be dismissed for indulging in "horse trading", Congress leader in the assembly K Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
"The acts of the Yeddyurappa government are illegal and unconstitutional," Siddaramaiah said.
The BJP's renewed "operation lotus" (to lure MLAs from other parties) has led to MC Ashwath of the Janata Dal (Secular) and SV Ramachandra and M Narayanaswamy (both Congress) resigning in the past few days.
"Speaker KG Bopaiah has not been verifying whether the MLAs were resigning on their own volition or under pressure while accepting their resignation letters." Siddaramaiah said.
About 40 MLAs had been approached by the BJP, Siddaramaiah claimed.
"We urge the government of India to take cognizance of all the things happening in Karnataka and to impose Article 356 as the government has no right to continue after it failed to act as per the provisions of the Constitution," the Congress leader said.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president RV Deshpande said it was illegal to lure MLAs when the fate of the October 14 vote of confidence was still pending before the court.
Deshpande said plans to expand the cabinet were also unconstitutional when the issue of whether the BJP government enjoyed the support of the majority was still being decided.
Deshpande alleged that the speaker's post had been misused by the chief minister to disqualify the 16 MLAs and Bopaiah was acting as the "agent" of the Yeddyurappa government.
The KPCC also announced the expulsion of Ramachandra
and Narayanaswamy from the party.
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