Advertisement

Updated July 21st, 2019 at 20:35 IST

Karnataka Crisis: BSP Supremo Mayawati directs lone BSP MLA to back Kumaraswamy govt on Monday's looming trust vote

In a minor relief to the shaky JD(S)-Congress coalition government, BSP Supremo Mayawati, on Sunday has directed Karnataka BSP MLA N Mahesh to vote in favour of the state CM H D Kumaraswamy's government in the looming trust vote which is set to be held on Monday in the Vidhan Soudha

| Image:self
Advertisement

In a minor relief to the shaky JD(S)-Congress coalition government, BSP Supremo Mayawati, on Sunday has directed Karnataka BSP MLA N Mahesh to vote in favour of the state CM H D Kumaraswamy's government in the looming trust vote which is set to be held on Monday in the Vidhan Soudha.

Mahesh was to skip trust vote

Earlier in the day, reports had claimed that  N Mahesh, the lone MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Karnataka had announced that he will not attend the floor test due on Monday as per Mayawati's direction.

Incidentally, Mahesh was among the 20 members who had missed the Karnataka Assembly session on Thursday and Friday apart from the 15 rebels MLAs, two independent MLAs, and Congress MLAs Srimant Patil and B Nagendra.

Karnataka Crisis: 2 Independent MLAs Approach SC, Allege That HD Kumaraswamy Plans To Admit Himself To A Hospital To Delay Trust Vote

Independent MLAs approach SC

Previously in a major twist to the dwindling numbers for the coalition government, the two independent MLAs Shankar and Nagesh have approached the Supreme Court about the breakdown of constitutional democracy in Karnataka - where a CM despite not having a majority in the house is stalling a trust vote by dubious tactics. They had further alleged that the CM HD Kumaraswamy is planning to admit himself to a hospital to further delay the trust vote.

On July 19, the drama of the assembly was put on hold till Monday, with the Assembly being adjourned by the Speaker after failing to meet the governor's deadline at 6 PM to conduct trust vote that would decide the fate of HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government.  BJP Karnataka chief BS Yeddyurappa, on Friday, had said that the current coalition JD(S)-Congress government has time till Monday to prove its majority saying that BJP had the numbers while Kumarswamy did not. 

Karnataka Crisis: High Drama In Mumbai Hospital, Congress MLA Accuses Cops Of Helping In Horse Trading After They Refuse Her To Meet With MLA Shrimant Patil

Delay in Floor-test:

In the morning on Friday, after resuming debate on the floor, the Governor of Karnataka Vajubhai Vala had asked Chief Minister to prove his majority by 1:30 pm, which was countered by the Speaker by saying that the trust vote will be conducted through a voice vote after the discussion ends adjourning the assembly on Friday until 3:00 pm. This was followed by another directive from the Governor that the confidence vote business should be completed by 6 pm.

Intervening in the debate, Kumaraswamy virtually ruled out proving his majority in the Assembly by the second deadline set by the Governor, when he sought protection from the Assembly Speaker in the matter. He said the "second love letter" sent by Vala asking him to prove majority in the Assembly before 6 pm today hurt him and asked him whether he came to know of horse-trading only now. As the trust vote was pushed till Monday, the governor wrote to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) about the developments in the state. 

Meanwhile, the rebel MLAs had appealed to the Supreme Court claiming that the Speaker is not accepting the resignations, to which the apex court ruled after hearing both the sides that the rebel MLAs are not bound to be the part of the floor test and may skip it if they wish to do so. The 14-months old Congress-JD(S) coalition government is on the verge of collapse with numbers favouring BJP as of Sunday.

Karnataka Crisis: Trust Vote To Be Held On Monday As Assembly Fails To Meet Governor's 6 PM Deadline, BJP Issues Kumarswamy Last Warning

Here are the numbers at present:

  • BJP - 105 MLAs
  • Congress-JD(S) MLAs - 100 including Ramalinga Reddy 
  • Speaker- 1
  • Rebels MLAs- 15
  • Independent- 2
  • BSP MLA - 1
     
Advertisement

Published July 21st, 2019 at 20:25 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo