Big B turns 68 today

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MUMBAI: Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan is celebrating his birthday today, but he refuses to slow down. At the verge of his life he is ready to take up all the challenges. He will even do his own stunts for an upcoming movie.

The global icon, who turns 68 today, says he has no special plans and doesn’t believe in making resolutions. “Birthdays come and go every year. And for me, every day is special. A resolution may force something on to a day which I don’t want,” he said. “I’m nearing 70 now. Sometimes, my knees and other joints ache and I know that I’m growing old.”

With such vibrancy at this age, he doesn’t think of retiring any time soon. “I want to continue to work for as long as my body will allow me,” he said.

This time he has a special kind of gift waiting for him as his game show Kaun Banega Crorepati will also go on air today. His family, actor Rajinikanth and MSD aka Mahendra Singh Dhoni, along with some others are expected to attend the screening of the first episode.

Karnataka Assembly Speaker disqualifies 16 rebel MLAs
BANGALORE: Sixteen rebel MLAs, including eleven from ruling BJP, were disqualified today by Karnataka Speaker ahead of the crucial trust vote in the Assembly.

Speaker K G Bopaiah signed the disqualification order last night after firing a strong missive to Governor H R Bhardwaj contesting his directive to him not to change the configuration of the House and maintain status quo on its strength as on October six, Assembly secretariat sources said.

The rebel MLAs had withdrawn support to the government on October 6.

In his order, Bopaiah said these 16 MLAs have been disqualified under the provision of the anti-defection law as envisaged in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

Those BJP MLAs who were disqualified are: Balachandra Jarkiholi, Belur Gopala Krishna, Anand Asnotikar, Dr Sarvabowma Bagali, V Nagaraju, Raje Kage, Y Sampangi, Nanjundaswamy, S K Bellubbi, H S Shankara Lingegowda and Shivanagouda Naik.

Former ministers Venkataramanappa, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Goolihatti Sekhar and M P Narendraswamy and independent MLAs have also been disqualified.

With this action, Bopaiah has brought down the strength in the 224-member Assembly to 208. The ruling party strength reduces to 106 from 117 and the opposition Congress and JDS have a combined strength of 101 (Congress 73 and JDS 28).

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa would be moving the motion of trust vote in the Assembly which starts at 1000hrs.

Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD (S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, who is spearheading the oust BJP government campaign reacted sharply to the disqualification charging that the BJP government has adopted "anti-democratic" methods to survive in power.

Jarkiholi, one of the disqualified MLA, said the rebels would challenge the Speaker's decision and approach the Governor. The Independent MLAs may also move the court.

The Governor had yesterday shot off an advise under Article 175 (2) of the Constitution, asking the Speaker not to change the character of the House and ensure that all members participate in the trial of strength.