Janjivan Bureau / Bengaluru : Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday moved a confidence motion in the Assembly but the Congress wants it put off until after Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar takes a decision on what happens to the whip its CLP leader Siddaramaiah had issued to 15 rebel MLAs.
As the fortnight-long political drama in the state on the fate of the Congress-JDS government headed for a climax, Kumaraswamy moved a one-line motion saying the House expressed confidence in the 14-month old ministry headed by him.
Seeking the trust vote, Kumaraswamy, whose government now faces the threat of collapse after 15 ruling coalition MLAs resigned, said the rebel MLAs had cast doubts about the coalition government across the country and “we have to tell the truth”.
“The entire nation is watching the developments unfolding in Karnataka,” Kumaraswamy said.
As soon as the motion was moved, opposition BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa stood up and said the trust vote process should be completed in a single day.
“The Leader of Opposition seems to be in a hurry,” Kumaraswamy taunted Yeddyurappa.
The BJP is reportedly apprehensive that the ruling coalition might try to get the debate prolonged as much as possible to buy time in its last-ditch effort to shore up numbers before the vote is taken up.
Adding to the worries of the ruling coalition, another Congress lawmaker, Shreemant Patil, was not seen in the House, amid reports that he had been admitted to a hospital in Mumbai, where 12 rebel MLAs are corralled in a hotel.
Also, BSP MLA Mahesh, on whose support the ruling coalition was counting, also did not turn up in the House, amid reports that he was keeping away as he had not received any directions from party leader Mayawati on the stand to be taken on the trust vote.
In a relief a day ahead of the trial of strength, senior Congress legislator Ramalinga Reddy said he would be with the Congress and support the government during the trust vote.
As Kumaraswamy began his speech after moving the motion, Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah raised a point of order concerning the Supreme Court order on the Karnataka political crisis on Wednesday, saying it had infringed upon his right to issue the whip.
He said the apex court had made no mention about the whip but said 15 rebel MLAs could not be compelled to participate in the session and the option was left to them to decide.
“It (court order) infringes on my right to give a whip under the 10th schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law),” he said.
Siddaramaiah’s intervention led to frequent heated exchanges between the BJP and Congress members.
BJP members alleged that the issues raised by Siddaramaiah were an attempt to prolong the debate and delay the trust vote.
Congress and BJP MLAs who were sequestered in resorts in the city fearing poaching by the rival camps were herded together and brought in buses just before the Assembly began its proceedings.
Ahead of the crucial confidence vote to be sought by Kumaraswamy, Yeddyurappa exuded confidence that the motion would be defeated.
“I don’t know what their party (coalition partners Congress and JD-S) is going to do but we are 105. They will be less than 100. Hundred per cent we are confident that the confidence motion will be defeated,” Yeddyurappa said.
The trial of strength is taking place a day after the Supreme Court ruled that the 15 rebel Congress-JDS MLAs “ought not” to be compelled to participate in the proceedings of the ongoing session of the state Assembly.
The court verdict was interpreted in political circles as a relief for the rebel lawmakers, as it categorically said an option should be given to them as to whether they wanted to take part or stay out of the Assembly proceedings.
‘Postpone trust vote’
Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said the 15 rebel MLAs who are currently camping in Mumbai were “influenced” by the Supreme Court’s ruling that they could not be compelled to attend assembly proceedings.
“If this motion is taken up, then it will not be constitutional. It violates the constitutional provisions. I request you to defer it. I want your ruling on this point of order,” Siddaramaiah told the Speaker as the House took up the debate on the confidence motion.
Siddaramaiah said if the motion was taken up, it would have a bearing on the constitutionally formed government in the state.
The speaker then said he would consult the advocate general and adjourned the House for lunch.
As Kumaraswamy began his speech after moving the motion, Siddaramaiah raised a point of order concerning the Supreme Court direction on the Karnataka political crisis on Wednesday, saying it had infringed upon his right to issue the whip.
He said the top court had made no mention about the whip but said rebel MLAs could not be compelled to participate in the session and the option was left to them to decide.
“It (court order) infringes on my right to give a whip under the 10th schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law),” he said. “They (rebel MLAs) are influenced by the Supreme Court. They do not come even if I issue the whip because of this order,” said Siddaramaiah.
He also explained that he has two options on hand which are approaching the Supreme Court and seek a clarification on the status of the whip issued by the legislative party leader, who is empowered by the 10th schedule of the Constitution.
The second option was to appeal to the speaker not to take up the motion of confidence until the issue of whip is decided by him, Siddaramaiah said.
The Supreme Court ruled that the 15 rebel Congress-JDS MLAs “ought not” to be compelled to participate in the proceedings of the ongoing session of the state Assembly.
The court verdict was interpreted in political circles as a relief for the rebel lawmakers, as it categorically said an option should be given to them as to whether they wanted to take part or stay out of the Assembly proceedings.
The ruling coalition had held out the threat of using the whip against the wayward MLAs, citing the disqualification provision under the anti-defection law.