Congress-JD(S) look to salvage government.
In a dramatic development, all JD(S) and Congress Ministers have resigned in Karnataka in order to reconstitute the HD Kumaraswamy cabinet. This is done in order to accommodate some of the dissident MLAs in order to placate them in a last-ditch attempt to save the JD(S) and Congress alliance government in the state.
HD Kumaraswamy confirmed the development on Twitter:
All ministers from #JDS have submitted their resignations just like the 21 ministers from #Congress.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) July 8, 2019
Cabinet reshuffle will happen soon.
On Monday morning, even as Congress leaders huddled in Deputy CM G Parameshwara's house to decide on a strategy to save the government. another MLA who was part of the alliance resigned.
Sources have confirmed to Zee Media that 7 more MLAs will be joining the dissidents in the evening. The chartered plane will land in Mumbai around 7 PM. Roshan Baig is likely to be one of the MLAs joining the dissident group.
Earlier, Mulbagal MLA Nagesh sent his resignation letter to CM Kumaraswamy and Karnataka speaker. He was one of the independents who was inducted into the cabinet in the June 12 expansion. Clearly, that didn't stop him from switching sides, which looks to be most likely. Later in the day, he went to Mumbai. So far, 14 MLAs have resigned in the last few days, out of which 10 are from Congress, 3 from JD(S) and 1 Independent and now the government is in minority.
On the other hand, 21 out of 22 Congress Ministers have resigned now to accommodate the rebels. They gave their resignation to Siddaramaiah, who is the leader of the Congress Legislative party. In the meeting called by Parameshwara, senior leaders including Siddaramaiah attended and all Congress ministers were asked to quit, according to sources so that the dissidents can be accommodated. JD(S) Ministers too have followed suit.
This issue was raised in Rajya Sabha too where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that BJP has nothing to do with this crisis in Karnataka and took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi also.
For now, rebels seem to be not impressed with the mass resignations given by ministers. According to them, they won't return to the alliance fold even as all ministers have resigned to accommodate them. Congress though is confident that 4-6 MLAs will again come back.
Key developments
With agency inputs
1. DK Shivakumar leaves for Mumbai
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Karnataka Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar leaves for Mumbai.
Congress-JD(S) MLAs who have resigned are lodged in Mumbai's Sofitel hotel. Moreover, 6 more MLAs including Roshan Baig will also be arriving at Mumbai's Sofitel hotel to join dissidents.
2. 6 more MLAs including Roshan Baig to join dissidents
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Apart from Congress-JD(S) MLAs who have been lodged in Mumbai's Sofitel hotel, 6 more MLAs will be reaching hotel by tonight. MLAs including Roshan Baig, Kampli Ganesh, Rehman Khan, Anjali Nimbalkar, Soumya Ramlinga Reddy and Bhima Naik will be reaching Mumbai's Sofitel hotel.
3. Rajnath denies BJP hand
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Singh said the BJP does not believe in politics of horse-trading.
"Whatever is happening in Karnataka, our party has nothing to do with it. Our party is fully committed to the dignity of parliamentary democracy," he said.
He referred to Rahul Gandhi's resignation as party chief after taking moral responsibility for the party's debacle in Lok Sabha elections and to his remarks that numerous people would have to made accountable for the loss.
Singh suggested that senior leaders of the Congress are resigning from their posts as a result of Gandhi's decision and statement.
"The process of resignations continues. BJP has nothing to do with it," he said.- ANI
4. All Congress Ministers quit
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Twenty-one ministers of the Congress in Karnataka resigned voluntarily from the cabinet on Monday, amid the ongoing political turmoil in the state.
"21 Karnataka Congress ministers have resigned voluntarily," Karnataka Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said while addressing the media.
The 13-month-old coalition government slumped into crisis following the resignation of their 11 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly on June 6.
With the dramatic turn of events, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy had to cut short his US visit and return to Bengaluru on Sunday, as the state government appears to have fallen into a minority.- ANI
5. Kumaraswamy meets dissident MLA
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With Karnataka in the throes of a political crisis, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy met dissenting Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy on Monday.
According to sources, the meeting took place at an undisclosed location in the city.
With the dramatic turn of events, Kumaraswamy had to cut short his US visit and return to Bengaluru on Sunday, as the state government appears to have fallen into a minority.
Apart from Reddy, who is considered to be a senior Congressman, Anand Singh, Ramesh Jarkiholi, BC Patil, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda, S Hebbar, Mahesh Kumatalli, Gopalayya, and Pratap Gowda Patil also tendered their resignations. However, the Speaker is yet to accept the resignations.
6. Not taking back resignation, say dissidents
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Dissident MLAs who are currently stationed in Mumbai on Sunday night told the media that they will not be taking back their resignation. Infact, they made it clear that they have lost confidence in the alliance government and have decided to resign.
