Karnataka stalemate drags on, HDK govt survives for another day

Teetering on the brink of collapse, the 22-day-old crisis, which has rocked the HD Kumaraswamy-led government, dragged on for another day, with the Karnataka Assembly being adjourned till Tuesday (June 23) without any vote on the confidence motion.

After already missing two previous deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala, the Congress-JD(S) coalition government which was to face the crucial floor test on Monday (July 22), survived for another day.

Kumaraswamy, who was seen holding a resignation letter in the Assembly, said someone had forged his signature. “I got information that I have tendered my resignation to the Governor. I don’t know who is waiting to become CM. Someone has forged my signature and spread the same on social media. I’m shocked at the cheap level of publicity,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to urgently hear a plea of two Independent MLAs seeking holding of floor test forthwith but said it may consider the listing of the petition on Tuesday.

Also read: It’s worse than just Kar’nataka’; politics as farce

Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar met chief minister HD Kumaraswamy hours before the trust vote on Monday, a deadline sternly issued by the speaker last week, to cease discussion in the Assembly.

For the third day running, the Assembly debated the confidence motion with the Congress insisting that it not be put to vote till the Speaker decides on the resignations submitted by the rebel MLAs to the House.

While the BJP termed it as “delaying tactics”, Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of setting a benchmark for “immoral politics”.

Meanwhile, the Speaker has also summoned 12 rebel Congress MLAs on Tuesday. The lawmakers were issued notices after the Congress-JD(S) coalition filed petition seeking their disqualification.

Stung by the resignation of 15 MLAs, the strength of Kumaraswamy government in the 225-member Assembly is 102 compared to the Opposition BJP’s 105 MLAs plus two Independents.

Earlier in the day, the Speaker had expressed his discontent over wasting time in the name of discussion. “People are watching. In the name of discussion, if an opinion is created that we are wasting time, it won’t be right on my part or anybody else’s,” he had said.