New Delhi: Even as the ruling Congress-JDS government in Karnataka has been rigorously trying to save the coalition, tension seems to be gripping the alliance from all corners. While two Independent MLAs are planning to approach the Supreme Court on Monday, the lone Bahujan Samaj Party legislator may stay away from the trust motion.

According to sources, MLAs H Nagesh and R Shankar are likely to approach the apex court ahead of the floor test. The legislators in their petition plan to seek Supreme Court's intervention in completing the trust vote by 5pm on Monday.

Claiming that the ruling coalition may indulge in "delaying tactics" to stall proceedings of Vidhana Soudha, the MLAs, in their draft petition, have said: "It has been reliably learnt that in a desperate attempt to avoid the trust vote, the chief minister of the Karnataka may also rake up an emergent situation and use medical emergencies, including hospitalisation to avoid the trust vote."

On the other hand, lawmaker N Mahesh from Bahujan Samaj Party has said that his high command has told him to "abstain from voting on trust motion". Hence, he had decided not to attend the session on Monday and Tuesday. However, hours after his statement, BSP supremo Mayawati tweeted and said that she has directed the MLA to vote in favour of Kumaraswamy's government.

बी.एस.पी. की राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष सुश्री मायावती जी ने कर्नाटक में अपने बी.एस.पी. के विधायक को सी.एम. श्री कुमार स्वामी की सरकार के समर्थन में वोट देने हेतु निर्देशित किया है।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) July 21, 2019

Ahead of the crucial proceedings on the House on Monday, both Congress and BJP held meetings to discuss their future course of action with BS Yeddyurappa calling legislative party meeting in the morning.

"We are hopeful of two things — one, the Speaker will conduct the trust vote and second, the coalition will fall. The coalition has reached such a point that no deal will be acceptable for any faction. This government will fall," BJP MLA Suresh Kumar said.

The Karnataka coalition government had got weekend breather as the Assembly was adjourned despite Governor Vajubhai Vala asking for a trust vote. The crisis was set off by resignation of 16 MLAs of the ruling coalition a fortnight ago.

Before adjourning the house on Friday night, Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar made it clear that a finality would be put to the motion of confidence moved by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday and the matter would not be prolonged under any circumstances, to which the government agreed.

Reiterating their stand of not returning to the coalition, rebel MLAs on Sunday released a fresh video, stating that all 13 were together and there was no question of returning to Bengaluru. One of the MLAs can be heard saying that a senior minister had said that the rebels were held in Mumbai at gunpoint. However, that was not the case.

"We are not here for money or positions. Party leaders had said nobody should make any attempt to save the coalition after Lok Sabha polls. We will reveal much more details once we are back," a rebel MLA said.

As many as 16 MLAs — 13 from the Congress and three from JDS — had resigned, while independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh have withdrawn their support to the coalition government, putting the government on the edge.

One Congress member Ramalinga Reddy retracted, saying he would support the government. The ruling combine's strength is 117 — Congress 78, JD(S) 37, BSP 1, and nominated 1, besides the Speaker.

With the support of the two independents, the opposition BJP has 107 MLAs in the 225-member House, including the nominated MLA and Speaker.

If the resignations of 15 MLAs (12 from Congress and 3 from JDS) are accepted or if they stay away, the ruling coalition's tally will plummet to 101, (excluding the Speaker) reducing the government to a minority.