Karnataka CM ignores Guv’s deadline to prove majority, trust vote delayed till Monday
Bengaluru, July 20: The Karnataka assembly floor test has been delayed till Monday as Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government on Friday ignored Governor Vajubhai Vala's deadlines to prove majority in the House.
The trust vote will now be held on Monday, July 22 with the ruling Congress-JDS coalition leaders claiming that a number of MLAs were still there to participate in the debate on the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy on Thursday.
The political drama in Karnataka sparked by the resignation of 15 MLAs of the ruling coalition a fortnight ago is set to spill over to next week with Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar adjourning the House till Monday.
All eyes were now on Governor Vajubhai Vala on his next course of action.
It is constitutionally imperative that you complete trust vote today: Guv to HDK
Before adjourning the house towards the fag end of the day, the Speaker made it clear that a finality would be put to the motion of confidence moved by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday and the matter would not be prolonged further under any circumstances, to which the government agreed.
Kumaraswamy and the Congress moved the Supreme Court 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 causing hindrance in issuing whip to the legislators.
The court had held that the MLAs cannot be compelled to participate in the Assembly proceedings.
Kumaraswamy
told
the
apex
court
that
the
governor
cannot
dictate
the
House
on
the
manner
in
which
the
debate
of
confidence
motion
has
to
take
place
In
his
second
missive
to
Kumaraswamy,
the
governor
expressed
his
"prima
facie
satisfaction"
that
the
government
has
lost
its
majority
confidence
of
the
house.
"When the allegations of horse-trading are widely made and I am receiving many complaints, it is constitutionally imperative that the floor test be completed without any delay and today itself.
"I,
therefore,
require
you
to
prove
your
majority
and
complete
and
conclude
the
floor
test
procedure
today,"
Vala
told
Kumaraswamy
in
the
second
letter
since
Thursday.
The
governor
said
he
was
receiving
various
reports
about
the
attempts
being
made
for
horse-trading.
"This can be averted only if the exercise of conducting the floor test is conducted at the earliest and without any delay," the governor said.
As he was speaking on the confidence motion, Kumaraswamy said, "I have received the second love letter" from the governor. He has got 'gnanodaya' (awareness) now.
Governor talks about horse-trading in the letter... was he not aware of it till now."
"Let us do politics...we are also here...we will not fear and run away. Why couldn't the governor see horse-trading when the MLAs were resigning."
Governor Vala fixed a second deadline asking the chief minister to complete the floor test shortly after the 1.30 pm deadline set on Thursday night for the JD(S) leader to prove his majority ended without the assembly taking up voting.
The House was also locked in an intense debate on when the trust vote process should be completed.
"Lot of discussion has happened; I want to close it (trust motion process) today," the speaker said.
"Caesar's
wife
should
be
above
suspicion;
I
cannot
be
guilty
of
dragging
proceedings."
Kumaraswamy
said,
"I
have
made
preliminary
submission;
we
can
conclude
(the
process)
on
Monday."
But BJP leader Suresh Kumar said sanctity of trust vote would be lost if it dragged on and insisted the process be completed Friday itself while his boss B S Yeddyurappa said they are willing to wait till midnight.
The ruling coalition appeared to be in no hurry to face the trust vote with Congress Legislature Party(CLP) leader Siddaramaiah earlier in the day saying the debate may go on till Monday after which the voting would take place since many MLAs have given their names to participate in the debate.
As the deadline neared, the ruling coalition members vociferously questioned the governor's power to issue such a direction with Kumaraswamy citing a Supreme Court verdict that a governor cannot act as ombudsman of the legislature.
Kumaraswamy said he would not criticise the governor and requested the speaker to decide whether the governor can set a deadline.
Allegations of bribery flew thick and fast as the debate progressed with the ruling coalition ministers and members targeting the BJP for its alleged toppling game.
"Legislators were offered Rs 40-50 crore to lure them; whose money is it?" asked Kumaraswamy, hitting out at the BJP even as the opposition members remained unruffled apparently to ensure there was no disorder that would disturb voting.
JD(S) MLA Srinivas Gowda alleged he was offered Rs 5 crore bribe by BJP to defect to bring down the government.
Minister Sa Ra Mahesh alleged Vishwanath (JD-S former state president) had told him that he needs money as he has election-related loan of Rs 28 crore.
Krishna Byre Gowda alleged hundreds of crores of were being pumped in to bring down the government.
In his speech, Kumaraswamy accused BJP of resorting to ways to circumvent the anti-defection law.
He asked BJP why it is in a hurry to end the trust vote debate in one day if it was sure of its numbers.
"Why is the BJP in a hurry, if they have the numbers... why the hurry to end the debate in one day.... I know it is not easy to get your MLAs," Kumaraswamy said looking towards Yeddyurappa.
As the clock in the assembly struck 1.30 pm, the BJP insisted on a division on the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy Thursday in accordance with the letter by the governor sent to him.
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 on the edge.
One Congress member Ramalinga Reddy retracted, saying he would support the government.
The ruling combine's 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 3 from JDS) are accepted or if they stay away, the ruling coalition's tally will plummet to 101, (excluding the Speaker) reducing the government to a minority.
OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)