Karnataka political crisis updates | JD (S)-Congress govt. to face trust vote today

Odds are heavily stacked against the Janata Dal (S)-Congress government lead by H.D. Kumaraswamy

The political uncertainty in Karnataka is headed for a climax with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy set to face a trust vote today, July 18, 2019.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave 15 dissident MLAs of Karnataka complete freedom to opt out of the ongoing Assembly session even as it acknowledged the Speaker’s discretion to decide on their resignations as and when he considers appropriate.

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The free run given by the Supreme Court to the dissident legislators means they can defy a party whip without the fear of disqualification for defection under clause 2 (b) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. Clause 2 (b) of the Tenth Schedule mandates that a legislator is liable for defection if he or she “votes or abstains from voting in such House contrary to any direction issued by the political party to which he belongs or by any person or authority authorised by it in this behalf…”

On the other hand, the court said it should not shackle the Speaker’s authority. He should be allowed to arrive at a decision on the resignations at an “appropriate time”.

This will be the third motion on trust vote moved in the Assembly after the fractured mandate in the 2018 elections.

Here are the latest updates:

Yeddyurappa confident

BJP legislators arrive at the Vidhana Soudha. They came in about two buses directly from a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru. A smiling B S Yeddyurappa flashed the victory symbol with both his hands as he entered the Vidhana Soudha. Speaking to media persons, he said they were confident of proving their majority in the house. "We are 101% sure that the coalition will suffer a setback. They are less than 100 while we are 105," he said.

Ramalinga Reddy, a former Minister and seven-time MLA, who also submitted his resignation, seems to be tilting towards the coalition and has maintained that he is with the Congress. With his inclusion, the coalition will still have just 101 votes, including the Speaker’s. The vote of N. Mahesh, BSP MLA, who had a pre-poll alliance with the JD(S), is uncertain.

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