BENGALURU: While legislators of Karnataka, lodged at resorts and hotels, are allowed a mid-week break of sorts with the House reconvening only on Thursday, it’s a hectic week for Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar.
After consultations with Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and leader of the Opposition BS Yeddyurappa, Speaker Ramesh Kumar decided on Thursday, July 18, to begin discussions on the vote of confidence.
In the meantime, the Speaker has two more issues to address before Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court, that had ordered status quo on petitions filed by rebel MLAs of the coalition, is expected to deliver its verdict, depending on which Ramesh Kumar is likely to chart the next course of action on the 16 resignations.
The Speaker will also meet senior Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy, whose meeting with the former to explain the grounds of his resignation was put off to Tuesday.
The Congress is pinning its hopes on Reddy withdrawing his resignation, but the MLA’s absence from a party meeting on Monday evening continues to keep the leaders on edge.
As if the 16 resignations were not enough, Ramesh Kumar also has to look into the disqualification petition filed by the Congress against MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli.
The duo, according to Ramesh Kumar, has not appeared before him to explain their stand, in response to the disqualification petition.
With uncertainty looming large over the outcome of Thursday’s possible floor test, the Speaker is likely to take a decision on the disqualification petitions.
In case the House is dissolved in case of Kumaraswamy not passing the floor test, and no parties staking claim to form a government, the disqualification notice against the two MLAs will become infructuous.