KUMARASWAMY'S GOVERNMENT FALLS: Congress-JDS Karnataka coalition loses trust vote by 99-105 margin in state assembly

The long pending floor test was conducted and the Congress JD(S) coalition government fell in Karnataka after 426 days of rule. As the number was counted, the JD(S) stood at 99 and the BJP at 105.  The MLAs by their vote proved that the coalition government did not enjoy the trust of his assembly.

The Numbers of the Floor test: 

BJP: 105
Cong + JD(S): 99
Rebels: 15 
Didn’t vote: 3
Total strength: 223

The Speaker of the assembly said earlier that he would not vote if their is a tie situation and for the dignity of the house. Earlier the officials took head count of the members and the speaker said that he will take his own time to count the vote and insisted that the counting be done again and again. While the counting was done Kumaraswamy was seen worried and tensed with one hand on his forehead. However, when the voting result was announced the Karnatka government (JD(S) + Congress) recieved 99, BJP 105

With this the Karnataka government of CM HD Kumaraswamy fell July 23, at around 19:30 hours. A day earlier, the BJP sat at the Vidhan Soudha on Monday demanding that they would not move out until the trust vote is conducted, the Karnataka CM held a letter saying that a fake letter is doing rounds. Earlier, Sources told the Republic Media Network that letters are doing rounds of his resignation but official sources from the Chief Minister's office did not respond to the speculations.

HD Kumaraswamy spoke in the Vidhan Soudha minutes before the trust vote on Tuesday July 23. Even as Kumaraswamy continued with his monologue in the assembly, sometimes citing that he is not power-hungry and on other times blaming media for wrongly highlighting the developments in the state, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar imposed Section 144. The Karnataka CM lashed out at media saying: "I ask the electronic media, why are you selling the country for the sake of TRP? Even when I'm going home, cameras follow me . Don't I have my privacy? It's my parent's or God's blessings that I am even alive and standing here today. I am a sensitive & emotional person."

Just as the clocked ticked for the floor test, he said: "Fed up of the current situation and ready to sacrifice my CM post  I will not face the current situation and take blame. I will be happy to give up the CM post. I have worked honestly for the people of the state."

Karnataka crisis: How it developed

• In a last-ditch attempt,  HD Kumaraswamy on Monday sought an appointment with Governor Vajubhai Vala's office at 6:30 PM, as per sources. However, the Speaker K R Ramesh has refused to entertain the CM's request for time till Wednesday. He denied permission in the morning as well. HDK has said more discussion required on the floor of the house.
   
• This development follows after 2-3 Congress MLAs and the lone BSP MLA were not present on the Vidhan Soudha on Monday. Apart from this, 2 Congress MLAs have not been present since day 1. Earlier in the day, on the Assembly floor, while Kumaraswamy tried to buy more time by saying that he will prove majority by Wednesday, the Speaker reminded the government's commitment to conclude the trust vote process on Monday.
   
• Previously on Sunday, both Congress and BJP held legistaure party meetings at 5-star hotels in Bengaluru ahead of the looming trust vote. On Sunday, two Independent MLAs Shankar and Nagesh have approached the Supreme Court about the breakdown of Constitution and democracy in Karnataka - where a CM despite not having a majority in the house is stalling a trust vote by dubious tactics. 
   
• Meanwhile, BSP Supremo Mayawati had directed Karnataka BSP MLA N Mahesh to vote in favour of the state CM H D Kumaraswamy's government. 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.
   
• 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.

Delay in Floor-test on Friday:

• 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.

How the numbers looked before trust vote:

BJP - 105 MLAs

Congress-JD(S) MLAs - 100 including Ramalinga Reddy 

Speaker- 1

Rebels MLAs- 15

Independent- 2

BSP MLA - 1