Karnataka Crisis: Hold trust vote now, says Yeddyurappa, 'What's the hurry,' asks Kumaraswamy

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday moved the trust motion in the Assembly and debate is going on over it. According to sources, apart from the Chief Minister, 25 other MLAs will speak in support of the JDS-Congress government in the state Assembly. The chief minister launched a scathing attack on the rebel Congress-JDS MLAs and accused the BJP of the political crisis in the state.

“I know the circumstances under which I have to face this trust vote. I have said earlier as well that power is not permanent,” he added.

During the debate, Karnataka Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar apparently lost his cool and said he (senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa) is misguiding the nation, misguiding the court.

Earlier, Yeddyurappa has said that the government will fall today itself. He demanded the trust vote proceedings to be completed by end of the day. Kumaraswamy asked, “what’s the hurry?”.

“I haven't come just because there is a question on whether I can run a coalition government or not. Events have shown that even the role of the Speaker has been put under jeopardy by some legislators,” Kumaraswamy said at the beginning of the trust vote. Amid the ongoing confidence motion, News Nation has learnt that BSP lawmaker N Mahesh is not attending the Assembly. 

“We have not yet discussed the reasons for which we have to face the trust vote. I will not speak about the (top) court order but they have even raised doubts about you. I have self-respect and so do my ministers. How can I live with this and not discuss this? I have to make clarifications. Who is responsible for destabilising this government,” Kumaraswamy said during the confidence motion proceedings.

A day ahead of the trust vote, senior Congress lawmaker Ramalinga Reddy said he would withdraw his resignation, giving some relief to the ruling coalition. The ruling coalition's strength in the House is 117--Congress 78, JD(S) 37, BSP 1, and nominated 1, besides the Speaker. With the support of the two independents, the opposition BJP has 107 MLAs in the 225-member House, including the nominated MLA and Speaker.

If the resignations of the 15 MLAs (12 from Congress and 3 from JDS) are accepted, the ruling coalition's tally will plummet to 101, (excluding speaker) reducing the 14-month-old Kumaraswamy government to a minority.