Bengaluru, July 18: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has issued whip to all 37 MLAs of JD(S) including three rebel legislators Narayana Gowda, Gopalaiah and H Vishwanath to be present in the Assembly on Thursday.
Kumaraswamy has said that if MLAs do not attend the House and vote against the party whip even after attending the session on the day of trust voting, action will be initiated under the rule of Anti-Defection Law and that MLA will be disqualified from his post.
The political crisis in Karnataka has entered the 11th hour as Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar is free to decide on resignations of 15 rebel Congress-JD (S) MLAs, making Thursday's trust vote a difficult affair for the 15-month-old HD Kumaraswamy government.
"It's not necessary for the MLAs to attend the session tomorrow," a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka MLAs camping at a hotel in Mumbai may skip the confidence motion moved by the southern state's chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on July 18.
If the resignations are accepted, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy's government would be reduced to a minority in the assembly ahead of Thursday's trust vote.
Stay tuned for Live updates here:
Jul 17, 2019, 11:49 PM IST
Ramalinga Reddy confirms that he will remain in Congress party and vote in favour of Karnataka govt in tomorrow's trust vote.
Jul 17, 2019, 9:27 PM IST
JD(S) issues whip to all its MLAs. The party has asked its MLAs to vote for the government. MLAs have been warned of disqualification in case of absence or cross voting during the floor test tomorrow.
Jul 17, 2019, 8:00 PM IST
MLAs Nagesh and R Shankar are likely to be moved to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) resort in the night.
Jul 17, 2019, 7:56 PM IST
Bhadravati Congress MLA B K Sangamesh reacting on reports of him being unwell states he is healthy and fine. He added the doctor who came to visit him was his friend.
Jul 17, 2019, 7:55 PM IST
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy at H_D_Devegowda's residence to plan strategy for floor test on Thursday.
Jul 17, 2019, 7:55 PM IST
BJP delegation met Speaker Ramesh Kumar requesting him not to postpone the date of floor test. The Congress – JD(S) Coalition reportedly wants floor test after 5 days.
Jul 17, 2019, 7:07 PM IST
The Karnataka BJP's official Twitter handle tweeted a response to Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao’s tweet which said that the apex court’s order was "perfectly coordinated to help rebel MLAs to violate whip" and set a "wrong precedent".
"Supreme Court order seems perfectly coordinated to help the rebel MLAs to violate the whip. It has set a wrong precedent as the value of the Whip as per 10th schedule of the Constitution is now redundant. An extraordinary order indeed!!!," Rao tweeted.
Jul 17, 2019, 6:59 PM IST
In a series of tweets, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao termed it an "extraordinary order".
Jul 17, 2019, 6:58 PM IST
The Congress in Karnataka has termed the Supreme Court order on the political crisis in the state as "bad judgment", which seemed to protect the defectors and encourage horse-trading.
Jul 17, 2019, 5:06 PM IST
The Supreme Court has said that attending or not attending is left to the MLAs, but assembly rules state that such MLAs have to seek permission. We asked Speaker if this relaxation has been granted. He said they have to seek permission, said minister Krishna Byre Gowda
Jul 17, 2019, 3:37 PM IST
Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah and state minister MB Patil, Member of Legislative Council Rizwan Arshad are currently meeting at the Vidhana Soudha.
Jul 17, 2019, 3:37 PM IST
State Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao has tweeted, “Supreme Court order seems perfectly coordinated to help the rebel MLAs to violate the whip. It has set a wrong precedent as the value of the whip as per 10th schedule of the constitution is now redundant. An extraordinary order indeed!!!”
Jul 17, 2019, 2:16 PM IST
Congress’ communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala in a series of tweets
SC’s order nullifying the Whip & by extension, operation of Constitution’s Xth Schedule to punish MLA’s betraying the public mandate, sets a terrible judicial precedent!
Blanket protection to MLA’s, who are driven not by ideology but by far baser concerns, is unheard-of. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/SsNmxw5NCn
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 17, 2019
Jul 17, 2019, 2:16 PM IST
CM HD Kumaraswamy, Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah and state Home Minister MB Patil are meeting at the Hilton hotel, News18 has reported.
Jul 17, 2019, 2:16 PM IST
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will be meeting JD(S) MLAs at 4.30 pm today, reports suggest.
Jul 17, 2019, 2:15 PM IST
Roshan Baig has informed the Speaker’s Office that he cannot attend the hearing today.
Jul 17, 2019, 2:15 PM IST
Congress leader DK Shivakumar said,''The Supreme Court has given a good judgment. We are confident of our numbers; our MLAs have been misguided. I request the rebel MLAs to not follow what B S Yeddyurappa’s lawyer is saying.''
Jul 17, 2019, 12:38 PM IST
Rebel Karnataka MLAs in Mumbai said,'' We honour Supreme Court's verdict. We all are together. We stand by our decision. There is no question of going to the Assembly.''
Jul 17, 2019, 12:37 PM IST
GVL Narasimha Rao, BJP on SC verdict in K'taka MLAs case said,''SC in its final judgement will have to create timelines for Speakers to decide a matter be it Assembly or Parliament. If required we'll look at need for amending the act so that Speakers can't go by their own whims&fancies.''
Jul 17, 2019, 12:37 PM IST
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy declines to comment, when asked about Supreme Court's verdict on Karnataka rebel MLAs.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of India and BJP leader Prahlad Joshi on SC ruling: This (Congress-JD(S) government has lost confidence. They should and will go.
Jul 17, 2019, 11:28 AM IST
Mukul Rohatgi, representing Karnataka rebel MLAs in Supreme Court: The Court has said that the matter will be fully thrashed out at a later date.
Jul 17, 2019, 11:28 AM IST
Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar: I will take a decision that in no way will go contrary to the Constitution, the Court and the Lokpal.
Jul 17, 2019, 11:28 AM IST
BS Yeddyurappa, BJP: Karnataka CM has lost his mandate, when there is no majority he must resign tomorrow. I welcome SC’s decision, it’s the victory of constitution&democracy, a moral victory for rebel MLAs. It’s only an interim order, SC will decide powers of Speaker in future, reports news agency ANI.
Jul 17, 2019, 11:28 AM IST
Mukul Rohatgi, representing Karnataka rebel MLAs in SC said,''The three-line whip issued against them (rebel MLAs) to attend the House tomorrow is not operative in view of the SC judgement. Secondly, the Speaker has been given time to decide on the resignations as and when he wants to decide,''
Jul 17, 2019, 11:26 AM IST
Jagadish Shettar, BJP on SC's verdict on Karnataka rebel MLAs case said,''There is anarchy in the state because of HD Kumaraswamy, he should resign immediately after this verdict and not wait for the trust vote.''
Jul 17, 2019, 11:26 AM IST
Chief Minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy offers prayers at Sri Sringeri Shankara Mutt in Shankarapuram.
The Speaker can take a call on the resignations whenever he wants. Once he takes a decision, the same shall be placed before the Supreme Court, the Bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi also said.
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Jul 06, 2019, 6:56 pm IST
The crisis, which had been brewing ever since the BJP swept the parliamentary polls in the state, deepened as 13 Congress and JD(S) MLAs reached the Speaker's office to put in their papers and later met Governor Vajubhai Vala at the Raj Bhavan on Saturday. After meeting the Governor, JD(S) MLA A H Vishwanath said, "Fourteen MLAs from Congress and JD(S), including Anand Singh, have submitted resignation from the Assembly to the Speaker...we also brought to matter to the notice of governor."
Jul 06, 2019, 7:14 pm IST
Karnataka JDS chief HK Kumaraswamy asserted that the government is safe and exuded confidence that rebel MLAs would come back.
"They have put their resignations at office of Speaker, he will take decision at an appropriate time. At present the government is safe, it's safe now. They will come back to us, no one will go," he told ANI.
Jul 06, 2019, 7:14 pm IST
"We will sort it out. Crisis is there. I won't tell there is no crisis. Reddy, Vishwanath are all definitely seniors. I won't deny it. We will sort it. We have to settle that issue. We should respect their sentiment. We are there to protect them. All of them who have resigned have shown up at Raj Bhavan," said Congress' DK Shivakumar.
Jul 06, 2019, 7:14 pm IST
Congress workers protest outside the Congress office against the MLAs who submitted their resignations to the Assembly Speaker.
Jul 06, 2019, 7:15 pm IST
A meeting on the crisis in Karnataka is also being held in Delhi.
Jul 06, 2019, 7:17 pm IST
We are closely watching political developments in Karnataka. One thing I can say is that people are not ready for elections. Elections are a burden on state exchequer. If situation arises we will definitely explore constitutional provisions to form next government, Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddiyurappa.
Jul 06, 2019, 7:18 pm IST
Some of the JD(S)-Congress MLAs who resigned have reached HAL Airport in Bengaluru. They are being whisked away to Goa.
Jul 06, 2019, 7:42 pm IST
10 Congress-JD(S) MLAs have left for Mumbai. 3 Congress MLAs Ramalinga Reddy, S.T. Somashekar, and Munirathna have stayed behind, say reports.
Jul 06, 2019, 8:23 pm IST
"Many of the MLAs who want to leave Congress have been associated with the party for a long time. I have faith that they will stay with us and support the party. I am going to Bengaluru. I wil make further comments after looking at the ground situation there, says Mallikarjun Kharge.
"They will come back. Where else will they go? The resignations have not been accepted yet," says Karnataka Minister and Congress leader Zameer Ahmad.
Jul 06, 2019, 9:23 pm IST
Congress-JD(S) MLAs are at Sofitel hotel in Mumbai.
Jul 07, 2019, 12:15 am IST
10 of the 13 MLAs who resigned have been whisked away to Goa after they landed in Mumbai. They may return on July 12.
Jul 07, 2019, 12:16 am IST
The Congress on Saturday accused the BJP of trying to bring down its coalition government in Karnataka by "buying" MLAs and asserted that the new word for the 'aaya ram, gaya ram' phenomenon is "MODI -- mischievously orchestrated defections in India". The strong reaction of the party came after 13 legislators of the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka submitted their resignation to the Speaker. The ruling coalition has 118 members in the 224-member Assembly. Senior leaders of the Congress, including Mallikarjuna Kharge, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Randeep Surjewala and Anand Sharma, met here to deliberate the political situation arising out of the resignations of MLAs in Karnataka. "The new word for 'aaya ram gaya ram' is MODI -- mischievously orchestrated defections in India," Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters, taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The Karnataka government which is a joint government having complete majority under our democratic setup is now being sought to be pulled down by a spate of defections and resignations," he said. "MLAs are being bought in broad daylight. Democracy is being denigrated in broad daylight. Constitution is being trampled in broad daylight in Karnataka by the ruling BJP government at the Centre," he alleged. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah, Surjewala said if those who swear by the Constitution and hold such high offices are going to "abdicate" their duty towards the Constitution, there will be no democracy left in the country.
Jul 07, 2019, 12:12 pm IST
In Maharashtra, 10 Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying at Sofitel hotel in Mumbai. 11 Congress-JD(S) tendered their resignations yesterday in Karnataka.
Jul 07, 2019, 12:13 pm IST
BS Yeddyurappa said,''I am going to Tumkur and I will come back at 4 pm. You know about the political developments. Let's wait and see. I don't want to answer to what HD Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah say. I am nowhere related to this.''
Jul 07, 2019, 12:13 pm IST
When asked that there are talks that he could be made the Karnataka CM, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said,'' I don't know. I want this alliance govt to continue. We want that this should go on smoothly. These are all flimsy information being fed to the press just to divide us.''
Jul 07, 2019, 12:14 pm IST
''Ramalinga Reddy Ji is a senior leader and a Congress man. For long he has been holding Congress's fort in Bengaluru. Let us see what are his grievances and what we can do,'' Kharge said further.
Jul 07, 2019, 12:14 pm IST
Congress leader Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru said,''I am in touch with 5-6 MLAs. I can't reveal all details. Everybody is loyal to the party. It is not a question of a person being loyal to me. Everybody is expected to be loyal to the party.''
Jul 07, 2019, 12:14 pm IST
Congress leader DK Shivakumar to meet JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda at his residence today.
Jul 07, 2019, 12:23 pm IST
Union minister & BJP leader Pralhad Joshi said,''Congress party as a whole is trying throw out HD Kumaraswamy. It's Congress party's game plan to out HD Deve Gowda & family from power. Siddaramaiah is responsible, also some senior Congress leaders are involved in it.''
Jul 07, 2019, 12:23 pm IST
Congress leader & Karnataka minister DK Shivakumar meets JD(S) leader and former PM, HD Deve Gowda in Bengaluru.
#Karnataka: Congress leader & Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar meets JD(S) leader & former PM, HD Deve Gowda in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/zhJW6jPFb3
Congress leader Siddaramaiah on political situation in Karnataka said,''This clearly shows that BJP is behind all these defections. It is Operation Kamala...Everything is fine. Don't worry. Govt will survive, there is no threat to the government.''
Jul 07, 2019, 12:41 pm IST
Congress leader Mahendra Singhi outside Sofitel Mumbai BKC hotel in Mumbai said,''I only met Ramesh Jarkiholi. I have not met any other MLAs. I won't say anything about what I don't know.''
Jul 07, 2019, 12:41 pm IST
In Bengaluru, Congress workers hold protest outside party office asking Congress MLAs to take back their resignation.
Bengaluru: Congress workers hold protest outside party office asking Congress MLAs to take back their resignation. #Karnatakapic.twitter.com/M0pr8SZKHE
JD(S) leaders joined HD Revanna, D Kupendra Reddy, HK Kumaraswamy, and DC Thammanna have also joined the meeting between Congress leader & Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar and JD(S) leader & former PM, HD Deve Gowda in Bengaluru.
Jul 07, 2019, 1:24 pm IST
BJP MLC Prasad Lad outside Sofitel Mumbai BKC hotel in Mumbai, where 10 Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying.
Jul 07, 2019, 1:24 pm IST
BJP MLC Prasad Lad outside Sofitel Mumbai BKC hotel in Mumbai, where 10 Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs are staying.
Jul 07, 2019, 1:46 pm IST
Congress leader DK Shivakumar said,''They've (JDS) called a meeting of their party leaders. We'll also call our party leaders&sort out this issue. I'm confident things will cool down immediately. In interest of nation and both parties we've to run govt smoothly. I'm confident MLAs will come back.''
Jul 07, 2019, 1:46 pm IST
Janata Dal (Secular) calls for legislative party meet later today; Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy to return to India later today.
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Leaders who quit
Among those who have put forward their resignation are H Vishwanath (JDS), Mahesh Kumthalli (Congress), BC Patil (Congress), Ramesh Jarkiholi (Congress), Shivaram Hebbar (Congress), Narayan Gowda (JDS), Gopalia (JDS), ST Somashekar (Congress), Muniratna (Congress), Pratap Gowda (Congress) and Byrathi Basavaraj (Congress). They will meet Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan and inform the same.
They have submitted their resignation to Kumar's secretary as the Speaker had already left office.
However, 4 MLAs - Ramalinga Reddy, ST Somshkher, Munni Rathna and Bayaratti Basawarj went with DK Shivakumar.
The man in trouble
The move comes at a time when the Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy is touring the US. Two Congress MLAs Vijayanagara MLA Anand Singh and Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi have already resigned.
Seniors unhappy
Earlier, speaking to reporters, senior congress leader Ramalinga Reddy said "I have come to submit my resignation to speaker. I don't know about my daughter(Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy), she is an independent woman."
"I am not going to blame anyone in the party or the high command. I somewhere feel I was being neglected over some issues. That is why I have taken this decision," he said.
In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, Congress and the JD(S) failed to make a mark with the BJP bagging 25 of the 28 seats along with an Independent backed by it leaving just one seat each to the coalition partners.
3 MLAs want Siddaramaiah back as CM
Somashekar, Basavaraj, and Shivaram are three of the four MLAs who have demanded that Siddaramaiah be made the chief minister. The fourth MLA, Muniratna, has not resigned but has made similar demands.
BJP ready to form govt
The BJP appears to be convinced that the time is ripe for a strike, both because of its success in the parliamentary election and the disenchantment in the Congress over the alliance with the JD(S). If enough number of coalition MLAs resign, the BJP could claim a majority with its present strength in an Assembly of reduced strength, and by-polls could follow.
BJP DV Sadananda Gowda, BJP, on being asked if BJP will form government in Karnataka, "Governor is the supreme authority, as per the constitutional mandate if he calls us, certainly we are ready to form the govt. We are the single largest party, we have got 105 people with us."
What is the present strength of coalition in Karnataka?
In the 225 member house, the BJP has 105 seats, the Congress prior to these resignations had 78. The JD(S) on the other hand has 37 MLAs. The BSP and the KPJ party have a seat each. There is also an independent and one Speaker.
15 MLAs from the Congress-JDS will have to resign to topple HDK government. After today's 8 resignations, government is in real trouble.
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