Karnataka Coalition Ignores Governor’s Trust Vote Deadline
BANGALURU : Karnataka’s Congress-Janata Dal Secular coalition today ignored the governor’s deadline to prove its majority by 1.30 pm and , saying it was bound to follow only the Speaker, who adjourned the house for lunch after a debate.Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, in a long speech replete with allegations against the opposition BJP, accused the party of offering “Rs. 40-50 crore” to lawmakers to switch sides. On a complaint from the BJP, the governor had yesterday written to the Chief Minister: “You have lost confidence of the house.”
The BJP has alleged delaying tactics by the coalition, which appears to be in a minority after losing the support of 18 lawmakers over the past two weeks.
CM Kumaraswamy, in his second statement in two days, warned the BJP of Judgement Day, accusing it of doing everything to dislodge his 14-month-old government. “When I went to America…the Bible refers to Judgement Day. In that book – the only consolation is that there is coming a day when all will give an account of their lives to God,” he said.
As the BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa insisted on an immediate trust vote, Mr Kumaraswamy said: “After 14 months (in power), we have come to the final stage. Let’s have a discussion. You can still form government. Nothing urgent. You can do it on Monday or Tuesday also. I am not going to misuse power.”
As the BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa insisted on an immediate trust vote, Mr Kumaraswamy said: “After 14 months (in power), we have come to the final stage. Let’s have a discussion. You can still form government. Nothing urgent. You can do it on Monday or Tuesday also. I am not going to misuse power.”
Yesterday, the governor had referred to 15 coalition lawmakers giving him their resignations and two independents withdrawing support in his letter.
“This cannot go on in a democratic set up governed by the constitution of India…Under these circumstances, I require you to prove your majority on the floor of the house on or before 1.30 pm tomorrow,” Mr Vala wrote to Mr Kumaraswamy after the BJP complained that the government was stalling the vote.
“This cannot go on in a democratic set up governed by the constitution of India…Under these circumstances, I require you to prove your majority on the floor of the house on or before 1.30 pm tomorrow,” Mr Vala wrote to Mr Kumaraswamy after the BJP complained that the government was stalling the vote.
In protest against the Speaker’s decision to end proceedings without a trust vote on Thursday, BJP lawmakers had spent the night in the assembly, eating dinner and sleeping on the floor of the house.
There was massive crossfire on Thursday over the vanishing act by a Congress lawmaker Shrimant Patil, who slipped out of a Bengaluru resort and surfaced at a hospital in Mumbai, claiming he had chest pain.
The Congress alleged that Shrimant Patil had been induced by the BJP to fly to Mumbai, which has been the de facto base of rebel lawmakers who quit the ruling coalition on July 6. The Speaker demanded a report on the “runaway” lawmaker from State Home Minister MB Patil.
The Supreme Court has left it to the speaker to decide on the resignations of the rebel lawmakers. At the same time, the court said on Wednesday that the rebels cannot be forced to attend the assembly, prompting the coalition to seek a clarification on whether or not they can be disqualified for defying a whip.
The Congress alleged that Shrimant Patil had been induced by the BJP to fly to Mumbai, which has been the de facto base of rebel lawmakers who quit the ruling coalition on July 6. The Speaker demanded a report on the “runaway” lawmaker from State Home Minister MB Patil.
The Supreme Court has left it to the speaker to decide on the resignations of the rebel lawmakers. At the same time, the court said on Wednesday that the rebels cannot be forced to attend the assembly, prompting the coalition to seek a clarification on whether or not they can be disqualified for defying a whip.
Sixteen legislators – 13 from the Congress and three from JDS – have resigned in the last two weeks, and two independent legislators have withdrawn their support to the coalition government. One Congress rebel, Ramalinga Reddy, appears to have returned.
The ruling coalition had 118 members in the 224-member assembly. If the resignations of the 15 legislators who approached the Supreme Court are accepted, the government will be left with 101 members. With the support of the two independents, the opposition BJP has 107 legislators, which is two more than the majority mark of 105.
(ndtv)
(ndtv)
