Kumaraswamy Govt Falls after Losing Trust Vote, All Eyes on Governor
BANGALURU : The one-year-old coalition government of the Congress and HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal Secular – teetering for weeks — collapsed today, paving the way for the BJP’s return to power in Karnataka. The coalition failed the floor test in the assembly, cobbling up only 99 votes in comparison to the 105 votes of the BJP, which later dubbed it a “Game of Karma”.
The demand for trust vote came as 16 legislators resigned and two Independents withdrew support to the government within a fortnight. The trust vote, pending since Friday, was held this evening after a back and forth between the Speaker, the coalition and the BJP — and prodding from Governor Vajubhai Vala — that stretched over a week.
The Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government in Karnataka, headed by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, finally collapsed on Monday night after the alliance lost a vote of confidence in the Assembly, setting the stage for the BJP’s return to power in the southern state. The political drama capped a 14-month long turbulent tenure in the state.
“It is victory of democracy. People were fed up with Kumaraswamy government. I want to assure people of Karnataka that a new era of development will start now,” said state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa, who is set to be the Chief Minister for the fourth time. “It’s the victory of people of Karnataka. It’s the end of an era of corrupt & unholy alliance. We promise a stable & able governance to the people of Karnataka,” the state BJP tweeted.
After losing the trust vote and flouting a number of deadlines, Kumaraswamy went to Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala. The resignation was accepted with immediate effect, but Vala asked Kumaraswamy to continue as caretaker chief minister till alternative arrangements are made.
Bringing to end a three-week-long high-voltage power struggle triggered by a raft of resignations by rebel lawmakers that made the survival of the government difficult, the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy was defeated with 99 members voting for the alliance and 105 against it in a House of 225, including Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and a nominated member.
As many as 20 MLAs – 17 from the Congress-JDS, one from the BSP, and two Independents — skipped the proceedings, reducing the effective strength of the House to 205. The magic figure for Kumaraswamy to win the trust vote was 103.
“The motion moved by the chief minister has fallen through,” Speaker Kumar announced. Flashing a victory sign after the voting, BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, hoping to become the chief minister for the fourth time, described the outcome as a “victory for democracy” as people were fed up with the Kumaraswamy government.
After the Assembly polls last year, Yeddyurappa resigned without facing the trust vote since he did not have the numbers on his side with the BJP, which bagged 104 seats, falling short of a majority by nine seats. He assured the people of Karnataka that “an era of development” would start with the BJP in power.
On the next step, Yeddyurappa, 76, said an appropriate decision would be taken “as early as possible”. The BJP dubbed the fall of the government as a”Game of Karma”. Kumaraswamy, son of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, watched the proceedings in a pensive mood after a spirited reply to the debate.
Last Friday, a trust vote could not be held despite two deadlines from the Governor. The house was adjourned after marathon speeches by Mr Kumaraswamy and other coalition leaders. The BJP accused the government of delaying the trust vote with lengthy speeches in hopes of reprieve from the Supreme Court.
Responding to the debate this evening, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy — who has already handed his resignation to the Governor — said he was “not particularly worried about the end of this debate” and that he would “happily give up… rather than all this”. “I have acted with decency. The last 14 months has been – ‘will they stay or will they go’ – and I thank my party leaders for staying through it all,” he added.
Both Mr Kumaraswamy and Congress’s Siddaramaiah said the rebels will be punished. “I would like to reaffirm that those who have fallen for Operation Kamala will never be inducted back to our party,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Meanwhile, Mayawati “In violation of the instructions of the party high command to vote in support of the Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka, BSP legislator N Mahesh was absent in today’s trust vote, which is indispensable, which the party took very seriously and therefore expelled Mr Mahesh from the party with immediate effect.” ( With Agency Inputs ).
