Kumaraswamy urges rebels to return, expose BJP; Yeddyurappa confident today will be last day of Cong-JD(S) govt
If the trust vote is not taken up on today, all eyes will be on the next move by the Governor, who has been keeping the Centre posted on the unfolding drama in the state.
With the fate of the fragile Congress-JDS government in Karnataka likely to be decided today with a trust vote in the Assembly, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has appealed the rebel MLAs to return and "expose" the BJP during the debate in the House, but they ruled out attending the session.
Earlier Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa exuded confidence that today "will be the last day of the Kumaraswamy government" and said the chief minister was just trying to buy time.
Kumaraswamy and the Congress had moved the Supreme Court on Friday, accusing the Governor of interfering with the Assembly proceedings when the debate on the trust vote was underway and sought clarification on its July 17 order, which they said, caused hindrance in issuing whip to the legislators.
Meanwhile, the coalition received a minor relief when Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati directed her party's lone MLA in Karnataka N Mahesh to vote in favour of the trust motion.
The assembly was adjourned till Monday after the Governor's 1:30 pm deadline and the second one to conclude the confidence motion process by Friday itself was ignored, prolonging the climax to the ceaseless power struggle that has been on for the last three weeks.
As the situation threatens to blow into a Constitutional crisis, the ruling coalition has vociferously questioned the Governor's power to issue such directions.
However, before adjourning the House on Friday, Speaker Ramesh Kumar extracted a "commitment" from the coalition that the motion of confidence would reach finality on Monday, even as he made it clear that it would not be prolonged further under any circumstances.
With treasury benches insisting that the Speaker allow its long list of speakers to voice their feelings, questions are still being raised in political circles over whether voting on the motion will happen Monday (today) also.
If the trust vote is not taken up on today, all eyes will be on the next move by the Governor, who has been keeping the Centre posted on the unfolding drama in the state.
As many as 16 MLAs — 13 from the Congress and three from JDS — had resigned, while independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh have withdrawn their support to the coalition government, putting the government to the precipice.
One Congress member Ramalinga Reddy retracted, saying he would support the government. The ruling combines strength is 117 — Congress 78, JD(S) 37, BSP 1, and nominated 1, besides the Speaker.
With the support of the two independents, the opposition BJP has 107 MLAs in the 225-member House, including the nominated MLA and Speaker.
If the resignations of 15 MLAs (12 from Congress and three from JDS) are accepted or if they stay away, the ruling coalitions tally will plummet to 101, (excluding the Speaker) reducing the government to a minority.
BJP's strength is also likely to come down to 106, as Shankar who has extended support to the saffron party will not attend the session, according to sources.
As many as 16 MLAs -- 13 from the Congress and three from JDS-- had resigned, while independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh have withdrawn their support to the coalition government, putting the government to the precipice.
(With inputs from PTI)