Congress-JDS coalition banks on miracle to save Karnataka government

BENGALURU: It is down to the wire in Karnataka politics with the Congress-JDS coalition government staring at an imminent trust vote. On Monday, when the Assembly reconvenes for the monsoon session, Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar is expected to decide on a date for the motion of confidence after consulting Opposition leader B S Yeddyurappa.

Even as Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is believed to be contemplating on resigning himself, leaders of the coalition are waiting for a ‘miracle’.

After Hoskote MLA M T B Nagaraj, who just on Saturday had assured to reconsider his resignation, bolted to Mumbai again on Sunday, leaders of the coalition held marathon meetings.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is said to have discussed the possible scenarios with JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda on Sunday. Resignation, as the last resort, was also on the cards. If the coalition fails to muster the required numbers, Kumaraswamy is expected to resign ahead of a floor test and bid an emotional farewell.

“You have to sit back and watch the movie as it unfolds. It will all be over by Wednesday. A miracle might just save the government. Nothing is over yet,” said a Congress leader. Sources close to the Chief Minister insisted that Kumaraswamy has a last trick up his sleeve.

Kumaraswamy expects at least four BJP legislators to refrain from attending the Assembly session on the day of the floor test. “If four MLAs from BJP abstain, it will bring down the numbers to 102 without the independents. We only need to bring back four of our MLAs and the two independents will jump right back,” said a senior legislator of the coalition. It may seem a long shot, but that is exactly why the coalition is calling it a miracle that might save the government.

Meanwhile, leaders of Congress and JDS continued to hold talks with their MLAs who are holed up in resorts and hotels as well as those who are miffed. After MTB Nagaraj left for Mumbai, special care was taken to extend talks with Ramalinga Reddy. 

COALITION MELTDOWN AND REBEL WAPSI

The Congress-JDS coalition in Karnataka is running out of time, with an imminent confidence motion dangling over their heads. With the Speaker expected to call for a motion of confidence to be moved on Wednesday, last-ditch attempts are being made to win back the support of the 18 rebel MLAs. The coalition believes it needs only four MLAs to trigger a ‘wapsi’ of its legislators. Ramalinga Reddy, Anand Singh, S T Somashekar and B C Patil remain their target, and of these, the coalition is keen that Reddy withdraws his resignation.