Karnataka Crisis: As CM Kumaraswamy seeks trust vote, BJP moves its MLAs to resorts

As Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy sought Trust Vote, the Opposition BJP has moved their MLAs to multiple resorts in and around Bengaluru to keep them safe from the feared "poaching move" by the Congress and the JDS. The move by the BJP to confine its MLAs to hotels and resorts came soon after Kumaraswamy moved trust motion in Karnataka Assembly.

"Today there are many things happening in our state's politics because of the decisions of many MLAs, which has created a difficult situation. I am not here to sit in power, I appeal to you that in light of the developments I want to move a trust motion,” the Karnataka chief minister said.

As they say, once beaten, twice shy – the Congress is also concerned about their MLAs after some of them gave the party tough time by putting up their papers last week and has moved them to Clarks Exotica Convention Resorts in Bengaluru.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court gave much-needed relief to the Karnataka government and ordered to maintain status-quo until next hearing on the resignations of rebel Congress-JDS MLAs. The Court posted the matter for next hearing on Tuesday.

Also Read | Two days after resignations, Goa Cabinet to include 4 new ministers: Sources

During the hearing that commenced today, the Speaker, the rebels and the Chief Minister presented their sides. Appearing on behalf of the rebel MLAs, senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi urged the top court to issue contempt notice to Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar.

Senior lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for the Karnataka Speaker, said that the MLAs tendered resignation to get away from being disqualified and cited a Constitution Amendment in 1974 which makes it Speaker’s duty to verify and ensure whether the resignations are genuine.

Thirteen MLAs -- 10 of the Congress and three of the JD(S) -- submitted their resignation to the Speaker’s office on July 6 triggering a fresh political crisis in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in the state. Another Congress MLA R Roshan Baig resigned on Tuesday. However, the speaker rejected the resignation of eight MLAs, saying that they were not in order.

On this, the MLAs had moved the Supreme Court, which ordered the Speaker to meet the dissident lawmakers on Thursday and deal with their resignation. After meeting the MLAs, Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar had said that he won’t act in haste and will verify the resignations as he was not bound to take the decision within a time limit.

RELATED

On Wednesday, in yet another setback to Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka, two more MLAs of the Congress - MTB Nagraj and Dr Sudhakar - submitted their resignations to Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar. With this, the total number of MLAs who resigned from their post has gone up to 16.

The ruling coalition’s total strength is 116 (Congress-78), JD(S)-37 and BSP-1, besides the Speaker. The BJP has 107 MLAs in the 224-member House, where the half-way mark is 113. However, if the resignations of the rebel MLAs are accepted, the strength of Congress-JDS coalition will fall to 100 and the Kumaraswamy government will come in minority.