Indian state party boss sleeps on parliament floor in bizarre protest (VIDEO)
The president of India’s BJP party in the state of Karnataka made a makeshift bed for himself right in the parliament’s aisle as his party staged a “sleep-in” protest, accusing the rival coalition of delaying a confidence vote.
The 76-year-old leader of the BJP branch in the southern state of Karnataka, B. S. Yeddyurappa, went to great lengths to make sure that everything and everybody remained in place for the morning session of the state parliament on Friday, during which a confidence vote will be held. Video and photos show the BJP leader taking a nap on the floor of the chamber, wrapped in pristine white sheets and resting his head on a white pillow.
#WATCH Karnataka: BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa sleeps at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. BJP legislators of the state are on an over night 'dharna' at the Assembly over their demand of floor test. pic.twitter.com/e4z6ypzJPz
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2019
While Yeddyurappa might have taken it to the extreme, other BJP lawmakers settled for armchairs and couches. Photos taken earlier in the day show them dining in the opposition lounge.
Karnataka: BJP legislators who are on an over night 'dharna' at the assembly demanding floor test, eat dinner at the Opposition Lounge of Vidhana Soudha pic.twitter.com/BurvIXAvO6
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2019
The protest that saw the parliament building turn into a hostel for a day was triggered by delays in a confidence vote that BJP demanded after 15 MPs of the ruling Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition stepped down and two independent MPs withdrew their backing from the coalition. On Thursday, the state governor eventually directed the vote to be held by 1.30pm pn Friday.
However, BJP members, frustrated by the repeated delays, said they would not vacate the building until the vote is done. Initially, they hoped to force the vote on Thursday, but those hopes were quashed after 20 MPs, including 17 from the ruling coalition, failed to turn up.
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