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The political crisis in Karnataka is set for a climax with Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy deciding to seek a trust vote on July 18.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, presided by Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar.
Earlier, the principal opposition party BJP served a notice of ‘No-Confidence to the Council of Ministers’ to be taken up on Tuesday. At the meeting, BJP firmly demanded that Kumaraswamy should seek a trust vote immediately or resign.
The Opposition planned to abstain from the proceedings of the Assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Speaker told the House and reassured that ‘we will assemble on July 18 (Thursday) for a discussion on trust vote’. It is believed that heated exchanges had taken place between members of the ruling and opposition parties at the BAC meeting
‘Unethical to continue’
The BJP maintained that the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government led by Kumaraswamy has lost its majority. Opposition leader in the Assembly and BJP State president BS Yeddyurappa argued that it is unethical for the coalition to continue in office.
However, in view of the Supreme Court hearing, a petition by rebel MLAs (nine Congress, three JD(S) and two independents) who had submitted resignations coming up on Tuesday, BAC fixed the date for trust vote on Thursday.
The total strength of the ruling coalition is 116 (the Congress-78, the JD(S)-37 and the BSP-1), besides the Speaker.
If the resignations of the 16 MLAs are accepted, the coalition’s tally would be reduced to 100.
With the support of the two independents, the BJP has 107 MLAs in the 224-member House in which the majority mark is 113. Meanwhile, the legislators of all three major parties returned to their respective hotels/resorts.
Resort politics
Now after fixing the date for the trust vote, the BJP is trying to keep its flock together while ruling coalition is still making efforts to woo back its MLAs who are camping in Mumbai.
However, the rebel MLAs, who are staying at a Mumbai hotel, have written to the city police chief, saying they don’t want to meet Mallikarjun Kharge or any other Congress leader. For the ruling coalition, it is not possible to sail through the trust vote if the rebel MLAs do not return to the fold.
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