Karnataka floor test highlights: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy after offering prayers in Bengaluru on Wednesday, July 17, 2019. (PTI Photo)
Karnataka floor test Highlights: The Kumaraswamy-led JDS-Congress government in Karnataka, which is on the brink of collapse after mass resignations, will not face a trust vote Thursday as the Assembly was adjourned till Friday. In protest, the BJP has begun an overnight ‘dharna’ demanding a response from Speaker K R Ramesh over Governor Vajubhai Vala’s letter.
After a delegation of BJP leaders met Governor over the delay in holding the floor test, Vajubhai Vala had sent a letter to the Speaker asking him to complete the trust vote proceedings by the end of the day.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had moved a confidence motion earlier in the day. Speaking on the floor of the House, Kumaraswamy hit out at the 15 rebel MLAs — 12 Congress and three JD(S) — for making “false allegations” against his “stable government” in the Supreme Court.
During the House proceedings today, Congress and BJP were engaged in a war of words over the trust vote. While Congress alleged that the BJP had “abducted” one of its MLA, the saffron party said that the coalition wanted to postpone the floor test.
Explained: What’s a ‘whip’, and what does it do?
On being asked to clarify the apex court’s order on whips, Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar said he would not restrain parties from “exercising any authority”. The Speaker, however, is yet to decide on their resignations, as allowed by the SC. The bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, however, had Wednesday ordered that the MLAs should not be “compelled” to attend proceedings. He is currently meeting legal experts to decide his next move.
Former CM Yeddyurappa sleeps at the Vidhana Soudha
Former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa at the Vidhana Soudha
BJP leaders stage overnight 'dharna' at Vidhana Soudha
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala has written a letter to Chief Minister Kumaraswamy asking him to prove majority on the floor of the assembly by 1:30 pm tomorrow, reported news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, Congress has written to Bengaluru Police Commissioner seeking protection for Shrimant Patil. The party has alleged that the MLA has been 'abducted' by the BJP.
Before the House was adjourned, BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa declared that his party members would stay put in the House itself overnight and even till the time the trust vote was decided. He said the confidence motion was not even discussed properly for 15 minutes and other issues were brought in by the ruling coalition members to delay the trust vote. "There has been a breach of the constitutional framework," he said, adding that it was unparalleled. "To protest against this, we will sleep here itself," Yeddyurappa said. "We will stay until the trust vote is decided," Yeddyurappa declared.
"Our MLAs will sit on an over night 'dharna' in the state assembly demanding that the Speaker replies to the Governor's letter and holds a floor test," the BJP said in a tweet
Karnataka Assembly session adjourned till 11 am tomorrow. The state BJP unit has decided to stay and protest in the house overnight till the Assembly reconvenes tomorrow.
The House was adjourned by Deputy Speaker Krishna Reddy as the Congress members persistently shouted slogans against the BJP as the proceedings wore on with Kumaraswamy yet to make his speech on the motion.
Leader of Opposition B.S. Yeddyurappa appeals to the Speaker to complete the motion of confidence and put to vote by the end of the day. Even if it's by midnight, we are ready, he said, reported news agency ANI.
Speaker K R Ramesh has left the House to meet up with the advocate general to seek legal advice on the issue of whip imposed by Congress and JD(S) to rebel MLAs. The BJP has protested the move, demanding an immediate trust vote.
Congress members of the house object to the interference of the Governor in the proceedings of the house. They found fault with the BJP for trying to seek the intervention of the Governor in the working of the house. The speaker, however, intervened to say that the opposition had the right to meet the Governor and ask him to act on some issue. However, it is up to him to finally decide on the matter. He would be influenced by anyone on the matter.
After the BJP leaders sought Governor's intervention, Vajubhai Vala has requested the Speaker to hold the floor test by the end of the day. "The motion of confidence moved by the CM of Karnataka is in consideration before the house today. The CM is expected to maintain the confidence of his house during all times of his tenure. I, therefore, send this message to the House to consider completing the process by the end of the day. This according to me, will uphold the highest traditions of democracy and parliamentary practice," the Governor's message to Speaker K R Ramesh read.
The Speaker reads out the message in the House.
After a delegation of BJP leaders met Vajubhai Vala over delay in the trust vote, the governor has sent a special officer to the assembly to witness the proceedings
After a delegation of BJP leaders met Vajubhai Vala over delay in the trust vote, the governor has sent a special officer to the assembly to witness the proceedings
Karnataka Congress MLA Shrimant Patil, who was admitted in Mumbai hospital after chest pain, has been shifted to Mumbai's St. George Hospital from Bombay Hospital and Medical Research Centre for further treatment.
Amid the delay in the trust vote debate, the BJP hit out at Congress-JDS alliance saying it has lost the majority and is "disrespecting the Constitution in its greed for power."