As Karnataka speaker refuses to relent, BJP to wait for Supreme Court order today

As Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar hinted at not accepting resignations of rebel Congress-JDS MLAs anytime soon, former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will wait for the Supreme Court (SC) order scheduled to be delivered today. Speaking exclusively to News Nation, Yeddyurappa said, "10 MLAs have resigned so far but their resignation is not accepted, this is not right. All these MLAs have gone back to mumbai. We will see what the Supreme Court will say tomorrow".

Yeddyurappa's statement comes barely moments after Speaker Kumar following his meeting with the dissident lawmakers denied to take any decision in haste, adding that he needs to examine these resignations all night and ascertain if they are genuine. Addressing a press conference, held at the Vidhana Soudha this evening, the Speaker further said, "The Supreme Court has asked me to take a decision. I have videographed everything and will send it tomorrow".

READ | Love this land, won't act in haste, says Karnataka Speaker after meeting rebel MLAs

Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar: The Supreme Court has asked me to take a decision. I have videographed everything and I will send it to the Supreme Court. https://t.co/KaAdILHw5t

— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019

As many as 10 Karnataka rebel MLAs, who were camping in Mumbai, arrived in Bengaluru by two special flights, hours after the Supreme Court allowed them to meet the Assembly Speaker to convey their decision to resign. Even as the resignation of these Congress-JDS MLAs pushed the coalition government further to the brink, the BJP, with the strength of 105 members in the house, is eyeing to form the next government in Karnataka.

The coalition's strength in the 224-member Assembly stands at 118 (Congress-78, JDS - 37, BSP-1 and Independents-2), besides the Speaker. This includes MLAs who have resigned, as their resignations are yet to be accepted by the Speaker. The BJP has 105 MLAs in the House, where half-way mark is 113.

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The ruling coalition leaders had feared onslaught by the BJP to destabalise the government after rout in the Lok Sabha seats, where both parties had won just one seat each. The BJP had won 25 out of 27 seats it had contested and independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh supported by it had won in Mandya.