Kumaraswamy bats for President’s rule, says none can provide stability

Bengaluru, July 26: Karnataka caretaker Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said that no one can give a stable government in the state in the present political scene after the fall of his ministry two days ago.

Kumaraswamy said the resignations by the rebel MLAs of the Congress-JDS coalition had pushed the state towards by-elections.

"Whether you focus on the developmental activities or the by-elections at 20 to 25 places, an atmosphere created by the BJP? We cannot assume that the government will remain stable even after the elections," Kumaraswamy told reporters.

The Kumaraswamy government was reduced to a minority in the critical trial of strength in the assembly on July 23, when the confidence motion moved by him was defeated with 99 voting in favour of it and 105 against, ending a three-week long high-voltage political drama.

Kumaraswamy, who was speaking to reporters after meeting senior Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy, said he expressed his gratitude to him for having withdrawn his resignation to support the coalition government.

He said Reddy has shown his commitment to Congress.

Reddy was among the 16 coalition legislators who had resigned their assembly membership, but he later retraced his step and voted for the government.

Treading cautiously, the BJP is yet to stake claim to form the government as the final word on the number game has not been said yet with the Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar still to decide on both the resignations of the rebels and pleas for their disqualification.