With 16 legislators submitting their resignations, the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government in Karnataka is on the brink of collapse. The Cabinet is expected to meet later in the day.
As Wednesday turned out to be a day of political drama in Bengaluru and Mumbai, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy held meetings with party leaders, besides attending a pre-scheduled public function organised by the Labour Department.
Meanwhile, in a detailed press note, the Chief Minister attacked the BJP for “violating all democratic principles and transgressing civil order”.
Here are the updates:
The Supreme Court, which heard the plea of 10 rebel MLAs, ordered them to meet the Speaker in person at 6 pm on Thursday. The apex court also asked the Speaker to grant them an audience, hear them, and take decision forthwith or in the course of the day.
The court directed the Speaker to inform his decision on Friday. It also ordered Karnataka DGP to grant protection to the rebel MLAs.
Responding to questions by media persons whether he would be resigning, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy asked why should he resign. "Had B S Yeddyurappa resigned during a similar crisis in 2010? There is no question of me resigning," he said.
He was referring to a crisis in the then BJP government when 18 MLAs including eight ministers had withdrawn support to the government in 2010.
BJP demands Speaker's resignation
The BJP has demanded Speaker Ramesh Kumar’s resignation while expressing anger over the delay in accepting resignations of rebel MLAs from the ruling coalition.
Speaking to reporters, BJP MLA and former minister M. P. Renukacharya alleged that the speaker was responsible for the Wednesday’s ugly scenes in Vidhana Soudha as things would not have happened if there was an early decision on the resignations of MLAs.
He accused the Speaker of acting like a worker of a particular party and questioned the delay in accepting the resignations of MLAs.
Friction in BJP over Gopalaiah joining the party
About 50 workers of the BJP on Thursday met Party State President B. S. Yeddyurappa and opposed the proposed entry of Janata Dal (S) MLA K. Gopalaiah into the party.
Alleging that his role had been suspected in the death of a BJP worker some time ago, they expressed concern that his entry to the BJP would demoralize the party workers.
They also maintained that he would not fit into the party ideology and said there was a huge resentment against him among BJP workers in the constituency.
Won't move an inch away from law, says Speaker Ramesh Kumar
All eyes on him: Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar arriving to address the media on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.
Amidst BJP leaders attacking speaker for "delay tactics" and rebel MLAs approaching Supreme Court over a similar grouse against him, Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar says: "I don't understand what is the urgency for BJP. There have been instances where such impasses have taken months to be resolved. Whatever the pressure, I am not going to move an inch away from the law and procedure."
This statement comes hours before the writ petition by rebel MLAs is expected to come up for hearing in the supreme court.
Amidst rumours that the government may postpone the assembly session scheduled from Friday, the Speaker said he won't allow the session to be postponed.
Prohibitory orders
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar has issued prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, restricting the gathering of more than five persons and any form of protests within the two-km area around the Vidhana Soudha.
The police commissioner issued the orders on Wednesday night, taking into account intelligence inputs.
The Supreme Court, meanwhile, will hear a petition filed by 10 rebel MLAs who have submitted resignations to the office of Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar.
They have accused the Speaker of delaying acceptance of resignations in an effort to prolong the life of the coalition Government.
All eyes on Cabinet meet
Karnataka Cabinet led by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is set to meet at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
Amidst a political crisis set off by a spate of resignations by coalition parties Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), all eyes are on the Cabinet meeting.
According to sources, there is speculation that Mr. Kumaraswamy could broach the topic of dissolution, which he is said to be in favour of. Sources added that Congress is not amenable to the idea of dissolution and wants to sit in the Opposition, if the situation demands. “Some within the JD(S) are also not keen on the option of dissolution,” said the source. “They are proposing an alternative of handing over the Chief Minister’s post to a prominent Congress rebel leader.”
Coalition battles on as numbers dwindle
Police escorting K. Sudhakar out of State Secretariat | Photo Credit: Sampath Kumar G.P.
With two more Congress legislators tendering their resignation letters to Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday, the number of “rebel” legislators from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) quitting their Assembly membership went up to 16.
Of the 16, resignations of eight legislators are in the proper format under Rule 202 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, said sources in the Speaker’s office.
On Tuesday, the Speaker had said that eight resignation letters were not in order.
Sources said Yellapur legislator Shivaram Hebbar had sent another resignation letter through his son and K.R. Puram legislator Byrathi Basavaraj had sent his resignation letter through his office staff. Mr. Kumar, however, said such things cannot be considered.
AICC files complaint
The All India Congress Committee (AICC), on Wednesday, filed a complaint stating that rebel MLAs of the party from Karnataka have been illegally confined at a hotel in Mumbai.
Earlier in the day, as a high drama unfolded outside the hotel when senior Karnataka minister D.K. Shivakumar arrived there to meet the legislators, police officials told him that the rebel MLAs had written to the city police commissioner fearing a threat to their lives due to his arrival. Mr. Shivakumar was subsequently detained and sent packing back to Bengaluru.