BENGALURU: The “God-given” Congress-JDS coalition government led by HD Kumaraswamy collapsed on Tuesday, at the end of a marathon battle to defy destiny, with the Chief Minister’s 99 votes proving literally and metaphorically short of the mark.
As expected after the spate of controversial MLA resignations over the last few weeks, it was the BJP that polled 105 votes against the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy. It was a long exit for Gowda Jr and Congress generals, who had kept up a grim rearguard action stretching over weeks to save a regime that was never in robust health during its 14-month tenure.
After four days of heated debate and deliberations, which the BJP sat through patiently without so much as defending itself against allegations of horse-trading and destroying democracy, the motion was put to vote, first for a voice vote and then, on BJP’s insistence, for a division of votes.
While BJP defeated the coalition during the floor test in an assembly where 204 members excluding the Speaker were present, no party now can claim to have a simple majority of 113 in a full House of 224 members. With this, the Congress has lost yet another government in a major state, putting the party in a precarious situation, especially at a time when its central leadership is in a limbo.
Despite the iffy numbers, an ecstatic BJP is now taking all measures to stake claim to form the government. The BJP Legislative party will meet after consultations with the central leadership to elect a new LP chief. While BS Yeddyurappa may seem like the obvious choice, a lot rides on the central leadership of the BJP that is known to throw surprises.
With merely 105 MLAs and assured support of two independent MLAs, the BJP stands now at just 107 — that’s six less than a simple majority in a full house. With the resignation as well as disqualification petitions against 15 rebel coalition MLAs pending before the Supreme Court and Speaker Ramesh Kumar, the Karnataka assembly is cast in uncertainty over its next government. Keen on completing the process of the trust vote, Speaker Ramesh Kumar ran a marathon session on Tuesday with no adjournments. The House convened at 10 am on Tuesday morning and was adjourned sine die at 7.40 pm after Kumaraswamy’s confidence motion was defeated.
Kumaraswamy, who made a long and impassioned speech, headed to the Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala on late Tuesday night.