Kumaraswamy ready to take trust vote: Does he have the numbers?

Bengaluru, July 12: Chief Minister of Karnataka, H D Kumaraswamy has said that he was ready to take a trust vote on the floor of legislative assembly.

I have decided to take a trust vote, please fix a time for it, he urged the Speaker of the House, Ramesh Kumar. I am ready for anything, I am not here to stick on to power, Kumaraswamy also added.

"In my opinion today in the backdrop of the developments, I have decided that I should move the confidence motion. I seek your time," Kumaraswamy told the Speaker.

"The occasion is such that, I have to say this, I can continue only if I enjoy the trust of the House. In this background, I am not ready to misuse my position sitting in this place," he said.

He said he had taken the decision on the trust vote "voluntarily."

"The ongoing political developments, this confusion has been created due to the action of some MLAs. I am ready for everything. I am not here to stick on to power," Kumaraswamy said.

The ruling coalition's total strength is 116 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37 and BSP-1), besides the Speaker.

With the support of the two independents, who Monday resigned from the ministry, the BJP has 107 MLAs in the 224-member House, where the half-way mark is 113.

If the resignations of the 16 MLAs are accepted, the coalition's tally will be reduced to 100.

Reacting to the development, BJP leader and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa said Friday's session was meant for condolences but the chief minister chose to speak about seeking trust vote.

"The chief minister should have spoken paying condolences to the departed souls. He has to think how justified is it to seek trust vote in the middle of paying tributes," Eshwarappa said.