Cong-JD(S) government lives to fight another day

Speaker KR Ramesh adjourned the House until Monday and said that the debate on the trust vote will continue when the house reconvenes.

In a day when several charges were traded in the well of the Karnataka assembly between the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular), the coalition government missed two deadlines set by governor Vajubhai Vala to face a trust vote.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, his deputy G Parameshwara and cabinet colleagues gesture during Assembly Session at Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru on Friday. (PTI)

By the end of the day’s proceedings — after allegations were made over the BJP’s attempts to lure legislators with money, charges of kidnapping legislators refuted, and the speaker defended his honour — the coalition was still in power, and the House was adjourned till July 22.

Speaker KR Ramesh began the day warning legislators against making remarks on his character. “It is easy to assassinate the character of a person, but those indulging in this should look at themselves... before making such statements,” he said.

CM HD Kumaraswamy had offered to face the confidence vote last week after nearly 16 coalition lawmakers sent their resignations to the speaker, threatening to reduce the government to a minority. Although one MLA has returned to the fold, the strength of the 225-member state assembly would be reduced to 209 if the resignations are accepted.

Blaming the BJP, Kumaraswamy said, “They keep claiming that they don’t know anything… Chartered flights have become more plentiful than auto-rickshaws, they keep flying to Mumbai and Pune.” He was referring to the rebel MLAs who have been staying in a luxury hotel in Mumbai for the past two weeks.

JD(S) MLA Srinivas Gowda claimed that he had been offered money by BJP MLAs to defect to the party.

In a letter to the CM on Thursday, the Governor set a deadline of 1.30 pm for the ruling coalition to prove its majority. However, the ruling party MLAs asked the speaker to decide whether the deadline should be adhered to. “You, Speaker sir, must decide if the governor has such powers to direct us on a matter that is already in the House... Matters need to be discussed,” the CM said, shortly before the deadline was due to expire.

As the clock struck 1.30pm, BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa demanded that the trust vote process begin. “According to our rules, there is no opportunity to go for division without discussion. I know you are in a hurry but that is not possible,” the speaker said.

Shortly before that, Ramesh Kumar read out an email that he received from missing Congress MLA Shrimant Patil, who was admitted to St George Hospital in Mumbai due to hypertension. Congress leader DK Shivakumar had earlier alleged that Patil had been kidnapped, following which the Karnataka Police travelled to Mumbai to take his statement.

“I have not been kidnapped by any BJP MLA and I will not be able to attend the rest of this session,” the email read.

At 3.30pm, when the House re-convened, the Governor sent another letter to the CM stating the party should prove its majority before 6pm. Calling it “the governor’s second love letter,” the CM asked the Speaker to “protect him” from the latest missive.

The CM waved photos of Yeddyurappa’s secretary boarding a plane with H Nagesh, an Independent MLA, who withdrew support to the government, and is believed to be in Mumbai.

By 6pm, the speaker said a decision should be reached on Friday itself even as 20 MLAs still remained to speak on the motion.

“The Governor’s last letter said that the vote should finish today. Today will go on till 12 am. I appeal to you, people on our side will sit peacefully till late in the night,” Yeddyurappa said.

However, at 8.25 pm, the House was adjourned.