Prove majority by July 19, K'taka Guv directs CM
Bengaluru, Jul 18 (UNI/IBNS): Amid heated debate over the resignation of 15 MLAs of the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition government, triggering a crisis in the ruling in Karnataka, Governor Vajubhai R Vala asked Chief Minster HD Kumaraswamy to prove his majority, before 1330 hrs on Friday.
According to official sources, the Governor, who had sent a message to the Assembly Speaker to complete the process of Motion seeking Confidence, moved by the Chief Minister on Thursday morning, had sent directions to the latter.
The House, which had taken up the Confidence Motion for discussion, was, however, transgressed to other issues, raised by Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah in a point of order, stating that the House needed to debate issues on the curtailment of rights and privileges of the members of the House and also Office of the Speaker.
Despite the Governor's direction, Deputy Speaker Krishna Reddy, who was in the Chair, adjourned the House, when the ruling party members raised slogans against BJP, for misusing the Office of the Governor.
With the fresh direction from the Governor to the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the Floor of the House on Friday, the fate of the 14-month-old JDS-Congress government, which is facing crisis, following resignations of 15 MLAs, will be decided on Friday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) although insisted on a trust vote on Thursday evening itself and even approached the Governor, who also requested the Speaker to consider a vote by the end of the day.
BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said that they can even wait till midnight for the trust vote.
The BJP has decided that its lawmakers will spend the night in the assembly to protest against the decision.
Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar will now decide when to hold the trust vote.
According to reports, had the vote being held on Thursday, the Congress-Janata Dal-Secular coalition government would have lost the same.
After the Governor's advice, the speaker has sought legal advice.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy Yeddyurappa in the Vidhan Soudha saying the opposition leader, who wanted the trust vote process to be completed quickly, was in hurry.
The ruling alliance of the Congress-JD(S) is on the edge after 16 coalition MLAs resigned in the last two weeks.
The CM accused the BJP of trying to destabilize his government. He said: “I have self respect and so do my ministers. How can I live with this and not discuss this? I have to make clarifications. Who is responsible for destabilising this government?”
The Congress and JD(S) leaders, in their bid to win back the rebel MLAs had so far succeeded in pursuing Ramalinga Reddy, and anxiously looking back to see that four of the rebel MLAs, who are very close to Reddy would also follow suit. Reddy is present in the Assembly.
The lone member belonging to the BSP, who had sought a separate seat in the Assembly, Mahesh, is yet to take any decision whether to support the government or remain neutral.
"I am waiting for directions from our party supremo Mayawati," the BSP member had said earlier.
Two Independent MLAs, who are also ministers in the Kumaraswamy government had also rebelled and extended their support to the BJP.
Yeddyurappa, has held a series of meeting with his party MLAs, stayed at a resort and worked out strategies to defeat the confidence motion in the House.
The BJP has also secured the support of two Independent MLAs. Consequently, it appears that the saffron party is all set to form the government if confidence motion is defeated.
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