High drama unfolded during the Karnataka assembly session on Monday when the discussion on the trust motion moved by the government resumed. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy asked the Speaker to postpone the floor test to July 24. The CM had already missed two deadlines for confidence vote, set by the state Governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday.
Meanwhile, independent MLAs H Nagesh and R Shankar moved the Supreme Court on Sunday urging Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to complete the floor test on Monday by 5 pm. But the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the urgent plea, saying that it may consider the petition on Tuesday.
The former chief minister and CLP leader Siddaramaiah had argued on Thursday that the interim SC order over the resignation of rebel MLAs did not have clarity on the whip issued by the ruling parties. However, the Speaker gave a ruling over the issue raised by Siddaramaiah referring to the tenth schedule of the constitution and the interim order issued by SC.
The Speaker said that as leader of the CLP, Siddaramaiah has the right to issue whip on his party leaders including the rebel MLAs who have resigned from the party. He said that the Congress-JD(S) vote of trust should be finished today and that he will not be made a scapegoat for the delay in the proceedings.
Senior Congress leaders Krishna Byre Gowda and DK Shivakumar alleged the BJP of indulging in 'Operation Lotus' to create the political crisis in the state. Gowda said that Congress will submit all the documents relating to the poaching of MLAs from its camp.
