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Karnataka crisis UPDATES: Governor asks CM Kumaraswamy to prove majority by 1:30 pm on Friday

The trust vote has come in the wake of a resignation spree by MLAs from the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition government since July 6.
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy (Photo | EPS)
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy (Photo | EPS)
Online Desk

The political crisis in Karnataka's corridors of power will take another day to reach its climax as the Speaker has adjourned the House till 11 am on Friday.

Even as he moved a confidence motion and insisted on a debate, BJP leader and former CM B S Yeddyurappa had appealed to the Speaker to complete the floor test proceedings on Thursday, but it was not to be.

The BJP said it would hold a dharna inside the House until the trust vote is carried out.

The trust vote has come in the wake of a resignation spree by rebel MLAs from the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition government since July 6.

Earlier in the day, the CM held a closed-door meeting with Congress leaders in a last-ditch effort to get rebel MLAs from Bengaluru to vote in favour of the government.

Meanwhile, the SC on Wednesday gave 15 rebel MLAs of Karnataka the option to opt out of the ongoing Assembly session even as it gave the Speaker a free hand and discretion to decide on their resignations as and when he considers appropriate.

Ramesh Kumar, gratefully acknowledging the verdict, had said that the apex court has increased his responsibility and that he would go by the procedure laid down in the Constitution when it came to the resignations of the rebel MLAs.

As many as 16 MLAs -- 13 from the Congress and three from the JDS -- have resigned, while independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh have withdrawn their support to the coalition government, giving the Kumaraswamy-led government the jitters. This is the third motion on a trust vote in the Assembly after the fractured mandate in the 2018 elections.

I have to apply my mind: Speaker

Speaker: "KBG has sought to know whether these MLAs are members are not. I will not speak of disqualification and resignations here. HK Patil says privileges of the house have been breached and Siddaramaiah has said his privileges breached. I have to apply my mind." 

Siddaramaiah is misusing this house to debate SC's order. I refuse to be subject to subjudice to SC order: BJP MLA Madhuswamy 

Speaker: If a member wants to seek leave of absence, they can write to me and I will examine it and present to the house the request. Otherwise, I have no role to play in any infringement of your leadership. 

Speaker: If a member chooses to remain away from the house, he won't be allowed to sign in register and won't be allowed to draw any perks that one can for a day to participate in the proceedings. 

Speaker Ramesh Kumar on Siddaramaiah's point of order - Speaker's office is not restraining you from liberty. If you want to make yourself a party, I will neither agree or disagree. 

This office is not restraining you (Siddaramaiah). If you wish to implead yourself into SC case, I am not stopping you. If they (MLAs) wish to remain away from house, let them write to me. I'll examine and permit or reject: Speaker 

Siddaramaiah is misusing the house to make accusations against the BJP as if this is a public rally: K S Eshwarappa 

Jagadish Shettar and BS Yedyurappa raise objection when former CM Siddaramaiash blames BJP of pressuring MLAs. 

My rights are curtailed: Siddaramaiah

I have self respect and so do my ministers. I have to make some clarifications. Who is responsible for destabilising this government: HDK  

As CLP leader I have the right to issue whip. MLAs who have taken B-form from Congress party and have won elections. The recent SC order seems like it is infringing upon my privileges: Siddaramaiah 

Please have trust in me: Speaker

Slip of tongue by Siddaramaiah!

"My point of order is, I am the leader of the opposition" before correcting to "Leader of CLP". House breaks into laughter.  

The nearly four-week-old imbroglio in Karnataka may be over in the next few days. Chief Minister H D   Kumaraswamy’s trust vote motion may finally be taken up. At the end of it, the state may get itself a government that did not come through the electoral process. The incumbent one too was the child of a post-facto alliance between the Congress and JD(S).

TNIE EDITORIAL: Back to original paradox in Karnataka 

"We are fully aware that you have come prepared," mocks Madhuswamy, BJP MLA.

Argument in the assembly as BJP Karnataka raises objection to Siddaramaiah 's point of order and D K Shivakumar stands up to talk.

Argument in the assembly as BJP Karnataka raises objection to Siddaramaiah 's point of order and D K Shivakumar stands up to talk.  

N Mahesh, BSP MLA is not present in the House during trust motion. 

Siddaramaiah while speaking in the Assembly raises point of order in between CM's speech. 

Ramalinga Reddy inside the house.

On Wednesday what came as some relief to the embattled coalition government in Karnataka, Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy said he has decided to withdraw his resignation from the assembly and will vote in favour of the trust vote to be sought by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. [READ FULL REPORT] 

Some MLAs have jeopardised even the Speaker's role: HDK

Karnataka government orders transfers of 2,000 officials in 10 days
[READ FULL REPORT HERE] 

In a fresh jolt late on Wednesday evening, Kagwad MLA Shrimant Patil is said to have gone missing from the resort where the Congress MLAs are put up near here. 

The Supreme Court order set off alarm bells in the coalition camp, coming as it does just a day before Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy moved a confidence motion in the Assembly.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that it was the BJP which brought Patil to Mumbai in its attempt to topple the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka.

Amid the ongoing political drama in Karnataka, yet another Congress MLA from the southern state arrived here Thursday and was hospitalised after complaining of chest pain. Shreemant Patil, legislator from Kagwad Assembly segment in Belgaum district, said he would return after his health recovers.

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala asks CM HDK to prove majority by 1:30 pm by Friday

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala has written letter asking to prove majority on the floor of the assembly (vote of confidence) by 1:30 pm on Friday

We respect Supreme Court, they're not helping anyone: DK Shivakumar

DK Shivakumar, Congress: Today on floor of the house, MLA Madhu Swamy (BJP) said 'the same Supreme Court which helped you to sit there is helping us' it means whatever judgement came out of SC, he has categorically misused it. We respect SC, they're not helping anyone.

House adjourned to tomorrow morning 11 AM, but @BJP4Karnataka refuses to leave. 

House reconvenes amid ruckus by Coalition MLAs  

 House adjouned for 10 minutes. 

Congress leaders hold up posters of MLA Patil in hospital, ask if this is upholding the Constitution according to BJP. Priyank Kharge leads charge. Second time proceedings disrupted by coalition. 

Let Speaker first give necessary direction over Governor's message: Basavaraj Bommai 

Deputy Speaker calls this 'Constitutional crisis'. Leads to uproar in house.

Madhuswamy: "We don't need any debate on other issues. The motion is already moved by CM. Either let him speak or give us division of votes. 

On Friday, no SC order that infringed upon our privileges. Sanctity of the house is in question. When judiciary infringes on legislature, then it sets a bad precedence. It may affect us today and you (opposition) tomorrow. There is no need to hurry through this. We have said defer Trust Vote till this is sorted. Let SC give its final verdict. This order has infringed upon the Speaker's right too: Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao  

Governor must not interfere when house is in session: H K Patil

HK Patil speaks out strongly against Governor's message. Not direction, just message. This amounts to interference of proceedings. Constitution doesn't give the right to send such messages during agenda. Request the Governor not to interfere in house proceedings. 

Hold the trust vote even if it is 12 midnight: BSY

BSY: I request you , allow the CM to present his statements. Let everyone who wants to talk from Coalition speak. I request you to conclude it by midnight at least. That's my request. 

If not given that opportunity, should one even be a member of the house ? I appeal to you, proceedings are still underway, there are many concerns including sudden disappearances of MLAs. If I needed to provide protection, who gave them the right to kidnap them: Krishna Byre Gowda 

With due respect to the Governor, the Constitution doesn't allow Governor to send such message to the houses. He can only send messages as such when a bill is pending and a debate on bill is underway: R V Deshpande 

Complete trust vote process today: Governor

Speaker reads out msg from governor- I appeal to the house to complete the process of trust vote by the end of the day. 

CM had fixed today for vote of confidence but when the motion was moved & debate started, Siddaramaiah, Krishna Byre Gowda, & HK Patil moved point of orders. We have requested Governor to direct the Speaker to continue the debate on vote of confidence: BJP leader Jagadish Shettar 

Chaos in assembly after Speaker tells BJP, "I will not do anything to your convenience." Coalition MLAs storm into the well of the house. 

Speaker to Karnataka home minister M B Patil: "I will send the letter to Home Minister. You contact family members of Patil immediately. You give me a detailed report by tomorrow. If you don't act properly then I will call DG and provide safety to all MLAs. The letter before me don't seem genuine" 

Speaker: If I consider this as serious documents and process it, what becomes of this chair? None of you are thinking what is happening to the public in your fight for power and one-upmanship.

Nothing wrong with Shrimanth Patil, it's BJP conspiracy: Dinesh G Rao

Karnataka Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao in Assembly: There was hospital right next to resort where our MLAs are staying, then why was he (MLA Shrimant Patil) flown to Chennai & then to Mumbai for treatment? He is healthy, nothing is wrong with him. It's a conspiracy by BJP. 

I am confused: Speaker

Received a letter from Shrimanth Patil: Speaker

In the issue of Patil, it doesn't concern me to conduct inquiry. If Congress says he was kidnapped, it becomes a criminal case. I received a letter this morning from Shrimanth Patil with no letter head or date: Speaker 

"We understand the desperate mindset of those who are about to lose govt. Under whose custody was this MLA there? You have to remove their allegations from records. If they had the numbers they wouldn't waited even for you. They would have sought for vote," says BJP MLA C T Ravi. 

"We are writing letter to the speaker. Please conduct an inquiry. Who took him? And whether he is really unwell. I am making a serious accusation that BJP is deliberately staging this to ensure he skips session. Speaker should ensure that this MLA comes," Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao 

Our MLAs are being kidnapped: DKS

Speaker adjourns house to 3 PM.  

The SC hasn't stopped me from issuing whip. They haven't even discussed it. But saying that they have discretion will influence them and they may not attend the session even if I issue whip. Such an important issue is in the house: Siddaramaiah

Speaker: Madhuswamy (BJP) wants to tell the house that 10th schedule has nothing to do with the house. Let me categorically state that 10th schedule was made for the house. 

Being a former CM, he is misguiding the nation and this house. Where has the SC said whip won't apply. This is an attempt by Yeddyurappa to misguide nation, responds D K Shivakumar.

Yeddyurappa withdraws statement. 

SC considered the matter for 3-4 days and gave a verdict that MLAs have the discretion to attend House. That whip won't apply to them: B S Yeddyurappa

Ruckus in house again 

Every party has the right to initiate action if their whip is violated. Nobody is stopping them from it. It is their right to take action. Why bring it to the house? Siddaramaiah should have raised the issue before CM moved confidence motion: Jagadish Shettar

Point of order can be raised when there is a constitutional question. Madhuswamy's concern that it is unconnected does not hold good, clarifies Speaker.  

Why the digression: Madhuswamy

BJP
Congress-JDS coalition
trust vote
H D Kumaraswamy
MLA resignation
BS Yedyurappa
Karnataka floor test
Speaker Ramesh Kumar

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