Karnataka LIVE: Two days after the HD Kumaraswamy government lost the trust vote, the BJP is yet to stake claim to form the government, with the state unit looking to the central leadership for its go-ahead. The BJP showed no hurry to stake claim to form the next government as the number game may not be done with both the resignations of rebel Congress and JDS MLAs and the pleas for their disqualification still pending with Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar.
The 14-month old Congress-JDS government collapsed on Tuesday after losing the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy in the Assembly after a struggle for power for three weeks, with several political twists and turns and a legal battle following the resignation of 15 rebel MLAs.
Read More
Jul 25, 2019 11:50 am (IST)
BJP to Take Steps to Form Govt | BJP's Jagdish Shettar says that in the meeting it was decided that steps towards forming a government in Karnataka need to be taken. Another meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm today.
Jagadish Shettar, BJP, in Delhi: We met Amit Shah & JP Nadda regarding the political scenario in #Karnataka, formation of BJP govt there & steps to be taken. They want to discuss again this afternoon at 3 PM, then they will take a final decision in the Parliamentary Board meeting pic.twitter.com/5bCBMqgSG9
SC Allows Independent MLAs to Withdraw Petition | The counsel for lawmakers R Shankar and H Nagesh had told a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that the MLAs wanted to withdraw the petition to instruct Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar to conduct the floor test "forthwith", as it had taken place already.
Supreme Court allows the two Karnataka independent MLAs to withdraw their petition, after HD Kumaraswamy lost the trust vote in Karnataka Assembly and tendered his resignation. pic.twitter.com/ESkXRyOKPo
How Disqualifications Will Affect House Strength | If the Congress and JD(S) rebels' disqualification petition is accepted by Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, the strength of the House will come down to 205 from 224, and the BJP will scrape through in the trust vote with 105 MLAs of its own. If the Speaker does not decide on their disqualification for some more time, the BJP won't be able to prove the majority as the required number is 112 or 113. Even if they manage, the government will be shaky. The state BJP leaders say that the party high command is treading cautiously because the disqualification petition of 15 rebel Congress and JDS MLAs pending.
Jul 25, 2019 10:06 am (IST)
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Condemned BJP | Rahul Gandhi had tweeted, "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 and the people of Karnataka lost," he said. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said that he BJP would discover that everything cannot be bought, everyone cannot be bullied and every lie is eventually exposed. "Until then I suppose, the citizens of our country will have to endure their unbridled corruption, the systematic dismantling of institutions that protect the people's interests and the weakening of a democracy that took decades of toil and sacrifice to build," she said.
Jul 25, 2019 10:02 am (IST)
Opposition Accused BJP of 'Horse Trading', 'Misusing Power' | BSP president Mayawati had not only alleged that the BJP flouted constitutional norms and used money and power to topple the government in Karnataka, but also expelled the lone BSP MLA in the Vidhan Soudha, N Mahesh, for abstaining from voting in favour of the Congress-JD(S) alliance. She said the developments in Karnataka would go down as a 'black day in the history of democracy'. CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also said that the BJP misused power. "From the start when BJP tried to prevent formation of this govt, until now, it has been an open display of political immorality and money power (sic)," Yechury tweeted.
Jul 25, 2019 9:52 am (IST)
BJP MLA Says Coalition Didn't Settle Rebels' Issues | BJP MLA JC Madhuswamy accuses the Congress-JD(S) coalition, which was in power, of neglecting the rebels and not settling their issues.
JC Madhuswamy,BJP: They(rebel MLAs)waited for 14 months to settle their issues. Those in power weren't gracious enough to consider their requests.Their bond is spoilt. No ques of them going back to their original parties.We've confidence&we're hopeful we'll form govt. #Karnatakapic.twitter.com/LldM9GV4ZI
Expelled BSP MLA N Mahesh said he was unaware of Twitter, via which Mayawati had directed him through her Tweet to support the Kumaraswamy government. "I don't know anything about Twitter or anything like that. Hence, I came to know (about expulsion) when I was on my way to Bengaluru. My expulsion was due the communication gap.I feel that in the coming days, it will be rectified," he said. He abstained from voting in the crucial trust motion, following which he was expelled by Mayawati.
Jul 25, 2019 9:42 am (IST)
Expelled BSP MLA Says 'There Was Communication Gap' | N Mahesh, the BSP MLA who was expelled by party president Mayawati for abstaining from voting in the trust motion on Tuesday that saw the end of the Congress-JD(S) government in the state, said that he did not vote because of a communication gap. "Our party's Karnataka in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Ashok Siddharth had told me to remain neutral after talking to Behen Mayawati," Mahesh, the expelled BSP MLA said.
Jul 25, 2019 9:33 am (IST)
What Happens to Cong-JDS Alliance? | HD Kumaraswamy, who is also the JDS Legislature Party leader, said Congress leaders had not discussed the issue of continuing the alliance with them. "They are very free, and we are also very free. If the coalition works out and if they want we will join hands with them. Otherwise we will work ourselves and strengthen our party," he said. Whether he regretted forming the coalition, HDK said, "Whatever issues we have taken, there is no regret."
Jul 25, 2019 9:29 am (IST)
Rebels Sought Month's Time Regarding Disqualification Plea | The 15 rebel MLAs of the Congress and the JD(S) have sought a month's time to appear before the Speaker in connection with the plea for their disqualification from the state Assembly. Speaker Ramesh Kumar said proceedings were underway regarding the petition. "I go by law. Nothing but Constitution and law," he said. "Lawyers had come and have said what they have to say on behalf of their clients (MLAs), I have heard them. I will go through, according to law I will decide."
Jul 25, 2019 9:24 am (IST)
Earlier, the BJP Yuva Morcha (Karnataka) State General Secretary BY Vijayendra also confirmed that a meeting with Amit Shah was set to take place.
BY Vijayendra, Karnataka State General Secretary, Yuva Morcha, BJP: Senior BJP leaders from the state will be meeting Amit Shah Ji. Let's see what happens. #Delhipic.twitter.com/ZsLpgmv6XZ
Meeting With Amit Shah Today | A meeting with the BJP's central leadership, including Amit Shah and JP Nadda will take place at 9:30 am today.
Arvind Limbavali, BJP, in Delhi: We are here to take guidance of the central leadership, for formation of the new govt what should be the strategy and action plan. We are meeting Amit Shah, JP Nadda and other leaders at 9.30 AM. #Karnatakapic.twitter.com/nwL6E0LS0p
BSY Likely Chief Ministerial Candidate | BS Yeddyurappa, who had earlier served as Chief Minister of Kanataka, is likely to be assume the office again if the BJP forms the state government. "I'm awaiting instructions from Delhi. I can call legislature party meeting any time and go to Raj Bhavan (to stake claim). I'm waiting for it," he told reporters after meeting RSS leaders at its state headquarters "Keshava Krupa" here.
Jul 25, 2019 9:14 am (IST)
The 14-month old Congress-JD(S) alliance, with 16 MLAs gone, failed the trust motion in the Vidhan Soudha on Tuesday, garnering only 99 votes while the BJP had 105, as a significant number of members skipped voting.
Jul 25, 2019 9:11 am (IST)
Pending Resignations, Inadequate Numbers | The BJP showed no hurry to stake claim to form the next government as the number game may not be done with both the resignations of rebel Congress and JDS MLAs and the pleas for their disqualification still pending with Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar.
Jul 25, 2019 9:10 am (IST)
BJP Awaits Shah's Direction to Stake Claim | The Karnataka state BJP is now awaiting orders from the party's central leadership to stake a claim to form the government in the state. A senior BJP legislator said that Amit Shah will instruct them to call a legislature party meeting in the presence of an observer to democratically elect the leader.
File photo of BS Yeddyurappa (L) with BJP chief Amit Shah.
In the trial of strength, Kumaraswamy had garnered 99 votes against the 105 by the BJP, with the ruling coalition swept out of power by a big chunk of its lawmakers who refused to back out and skipped voting on confidence motion.
Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa, the likely chief minister candidate, said he was awaiting instructions from his party's central leadership on staking a claim to form an alternative government. "I'm awaiting instructions from Delhi. I can call legislature party meeting any time and go to Raj Bhavan (to stake claim). I'm waiting for it," he told reporters after meeting RSS leaders at its state headquarters "Keshava Krupa" here.
Senior BJP legislator JC Madhuswamy said, "Party national president Amit Shah has to instruct us to call a legislature party meeting in the presence of an observer to elect the leader. Things have to go democratically as ours is a national party, so we are waiting for instructions from them, after that, an appointment with the Governor will be sought."
According to BJP sources, the party's leadership was waiting for the Speaker's decision on the resignations and disqualification petitions against rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs before staking a claim to form an alternative government.
"There is no indication yet from the party leadership.. speculation only in the media. Party leadership may be waiting for the Speaker to decide on resignations of rebel MLAs to avoid any embarrassment in the future," a senior BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.
With their resignations still to be accepted, the 15 rebel MLAs of the Congress and the JD(S) have sought a month's time to appear before the Speaker in connection with the plea for their disqualification from the state Assembly.
Speaker Ramesh Kumar said proceedings were on regarding disqualification petition. "I go by law. Nothing but Constitution and law," he said. "Lawyers had come and have said what they have to say on behalf of their clients (MLAs), I have heard them. I will go through, according to law I will decide." Asked if he has he given any fresh timeline to the MLAs to appear, he said, "Every thing was over. They are also satisfied, I'm also satisfied."
The Congress and the JD(S) have sought disqualification under the anti-defection law of the rebel lawmakers who, however, were undeterred and skipped Assembly proceedings during the crucial confidence vote on Tuesday. The anti-defection law doesn't specify a time period for the Speaker to decide on disqualification plea.
A disqualified member loses the seat and the punitive action forestalls prospects of becoming a minister in the newly sworn-in government, but he or she can get re-elected to the House.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in its order last Wednesday gave the Assembly Speaker the freedom to decide on the resignation of the MLAs within such time-frame as considered appropriate by him.
A day after the collapse of its government, uncertainty loomed large over the future of the Congress-JDS alliance as outgoing chief minister and JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda's son HD Kumaraswamy remained non-committal on the the issue, saying both parties have not yet discussed it.
LIVE NOW
IRE
NZ
AUS
SL
WI