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Updated May 18th, 2018 at 14:35 IST

Both sides bullish after Supreme Court orders Saturday floor test, despite claim about 'abducted' Congress MLA

Both Congress-JD(S) and the BJP have expressed a knowing confidence over what the outcome will be in the all-important floor test at the Karnataka Assembly that has been ordered by the Supreme Court for 4 pm on Saturday. While the BJP and Yeddyurappa believe they will be able to prove their majority, the Congress and JD(S) believe that they (the BJP) won't.

Reported by: Ankit Prasad
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Both Congress-JD(S) and the BJP have expressed a knowing confidence over what the outcome will be in the all-important floor test at the Karnataka Assembly that has been ordered by the Supreme Court for 4 pm on Saturday. While the BJP and Yeddyurappa believe they will be able to prove their majority, the Congress and JD(S) believe that they (the BJP) won't.

Addressing a news briefing shortly after the Supreme Court's order, the Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah both looked jubilant as Azad, sporting a Congress scarf, thanked the Judges of the Supreme Court for 'saving democracy'. It is important to note here that the Congress has gone hammer and tongs in its efforts to impeach the Chief Justice of India (CJI) with party president Rahul Gandhi comparing India's judiciary with that of Pakistan as recently as Thursday.

MASSIVE: Supreme Court Orders Yeddyurappa To Undergo Floor Test In Karnataka Assembly At 4 Pm On Saturday And Turns Down Request For Secret Ballot. Full Details Here

Azad accused the Karnataka Governor of flouting the rule of law by inviting the BJP to form a government and giving him two weeks to prove a majority. He said the same was also true of the Governors of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Goa, as a result of which the Congress had no option except to approach the Supreme Court.

Siddaramaiah also hailed the Supreme Court's decision as historic and accused the BJP of setting aside previous such decisions (via the Governor). He claimed that the Congress-JD(S) alliance had staked a claim before the BJP and that they had 118 MLAs, including 78 from the Congress, 38 from the JD(S) and 2 Independents. 112 MLAs are required for a majority.

As per sources, at least one Congress MLA who the party claimed has been 'abducted' is confirmed to be in New Delhi and is in contact with the BJP. Additionally, sources have claimed that six Congress MLAs may abstain from voting.

Meanwhile, Karnataka chief minister Yeddyurappa, who had put up a bullish front on Thursday saying that he doesn't need two weeks to prove his majority, said that he was confident of proving his majority in the floor test on Saturday. 

JD(S) chief Kumaraswamy, meanwhile, offered an odd response when questioned over the floor test. He said 'my party is not in a hurry, we will wait', adding that the BJP will fail to prove its majority.

At the time of writing, the Congress and JD(S) MLAs are lodged in two hotels in Hyderabad having reached there overnight by bus. They are likely to return to Bengaluru by Friday evening.

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Published May 18th, 2018 at 14:31 IST

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