'Their greed won, democracy, honesty lost': Rahul Gandhi after Karnataka govt falls

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the BJP after HD Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka collapsed on Monday night capping a 14-month long turbulent tenure, losing a vote of confidence in the Assembly, setting the stage for the BJP's return to power in the southern state.

Gandhi alleged that from its first day, the Congress-JDS alliance in Karnataka was a target for “vested interests”. He lamented that “democracy, honesty & the people of Karnataka lost.”

“From its first day, the Cong-JDS alliance in Karnataka was a target for vested interests, both within & outside, who saw the alliance as a threat & an obstacle in their path to power. Their greed won today. Democracy, honesty & the people of Karnataka lost, Gandhi tweeted hours after the Congress-JDS coalition government failed to prove majority in the floor test.

From its first day, the Cong-JDS alliance in Karnataka was a target for vested interests, both within & outside, who saw the alliance as a threat & an obstacle in their path to power.

Their greed won today.

Democracy, honesty & the people of Karnataka lost.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 23, 2019

His sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also targeted the BJP, saying “one day the BJP will discover that everything cannot be bought, everyone cannot be bullied and every lie is eventually exposed.”

One day the BJP will discover that everything cannot be bought, everyone cannot be bullied and every lie is eventually exposed.

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— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 23, 2019

"Until then I suppose, the citizens of our country will have to endure their unbridled corruption, the systematic dismantling of insitutions that protect the people’s interests and the weakening of a democracy that took decades of toil and sacrifice to build," she added.

Until then I suppose, the citizens of our country will have to endure their unbridled corruption, the systematic dismantling of insitutions that protect the people’s interests and the weakening of a democracy that took decades of toil and sacrifice to build.

2/2

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 23, 2019

Kumaraswamy, after losing the trust vote which missed a couple of deadlines, went to the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala. The resignation was accepted with immediate effect but Kumaraswamy was asked to continue as caretaker chief minister till alternative arrangements are made.

Bringing to end a three-week long high-voltage intense power struggle triggered by a raft of resignations by rebel lawmakers that made the survival of the government difficult, the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy was defeated with 99 members voting for the motion and 105 against it in a House of 225 including Speaker P R Ramesh Kumar and a nominated member.

As many as 20 MLAs-- Congress-JDS (17), BSP (1), Independents (2)-- skipped the proceedings, reducing the effective strength of the House to 205.

The magic figure for Kumaraswamy to win the trust vote required was 103.

"The motion moved by the Chief Minister has fallen through," Speaker Kumar announced.

Flashing the victory sign after the voting, BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, who is hoping to become the chief minister for the fourth time, described the outcome as a "victory for democracy" as people were fed up with the Kumaraswamy government.

After the Assembly polls last year, Yeddyurappa resigned without facing the trust vote since he did not have the numbers on his side with the BJP, which bagged 104 seats, falling short of majority by 9 seats.

He assured the people of Karnataka that "an era of development" would start with the BJP in power.

On the next step, Yeddyurappa, 76, said an appropriate decision would be taken "as early as possible." The BJP dubbed the fall of the government as a "Game of Karma".

Kumaraswamy, son of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, watched the proceedings sitting in a pensive mood after a spirited reply to the debate.

With rebellion exploding in its face, the coalition government was hanging by a thread for the last three weeks with the Supreme Court verdict that rebel law makers ought not to be compelled to attend the session tipping the scales in favour of the BJP.

Outwitted in the numbers game and defeat staring in his face with the rebel MLAs in no mood to step back from their position not to attend the assembly session, Kumaraswamy gave indications of quitting in the initial remarks while winding up the debate on the confidence motion.