Bengaluru: Leaders of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka tried their hardest to derail the trust vote in the assembly Monday, going so far as to seek adjournments over excuses like hunger and medical condition. The BJP, on its part, distributed chocolates in lieu of dinner.
The ruling coalition threw one reason after another at the Speaker to adjourn the day’s proceedings as the political drama in the assembly reached a fresh high.
At its best behaviour, the BJP stayed put and even offered to go without dinner, all in the hope of the vote.
At one point, Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar even said, “My problem is that I am not dealing with a ruling party and an Opposition. I am dealing with an outgoing ruling party and an incoming ruling party.”
Finally, the Speaker adjourned the session to Tuesday after the debate in the assembly on the floor test went on until 11.45 pm.
Continuing crisis
With the political crisis in Karnataka getting prolonged, the assembly Monday saw an unending debate on the vote of confidence to decide the fate of the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) government.
While CM Kumaraswamy as well as members of the Congress and JD(S) sought two more days to complete the vote, the Speaker allowed the discussion to continue.
An adamant Kumar said he had given his word to hold the floor test based on the assurance given by both Congress leader Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy.
Late in the evening, after several speeches, the issue of providing zero-traffic corridor to the rebels earlier in the month was raised by a legislator. It caused such a ruckus that the Speaker sought a clarification from Home Minister M.B. Patil, and even adjourned the session for ten minutes. The session didn’t resume for two hours as senior Congress leaders went into a huddle inside the Speaker’s chamber.
When the assembly resumed at 8.30 pm, it witnessed an unusual spectacle of the ruling coalition members getting into the well of the House and shouting slogans — “Save the Constitution” and “We Want Justice”.
Water Resources Minister and Congress troubleshooter D.K. Shivakumar then decided to send a message to the rebel MLAs watching the proceedings from Mumbai.
“If you are disqualified, you cannot be a member again. The BJP is misguiding you. They are trying to convince you that the disqualification will not take place and you all will be made ministers. That’s not true.
“As per the Constitution you cannot be made a member once you are disqualified,” said Shivakumar.
Kumaraswamy then showed the House a “fake resignation letter” that was doing the rounds on social media with his forged signature.
Also read: Mayawati has asked me to abstain from floor test, says lone BSP MLA in Karnataka
Hunger and chocolates
As the zero-traffic corridor debate was brought up again, BJP leader and former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa sought the intervention of the Speaker to ensure that the chief minister moves a trust motion.
“I appeal to you Mr Speaker to ask the trust vote to be held as promised by you on Friday. We are here to safeguard the sanctity of the House and uphold the Constitution and we have a responsibility to do just that,” Yeddyurappa said to the Speaker with folded hands.
Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar did not waste a moment to sarcastically respond about how the assembly canteen had shut down.
As the session dragged on, JDS MLA Shivalinge Gowda said, “We are not power hungry, we are just hungry as many of us are diabetic and need to eat some food”. Some women MLAs even appealed to the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings as they had to head back home.
But Yeddyurappa was determined. “We are prepared to stay here till the end. Our MLAs have no problem even if they don’t have dinner.”
He then went on to arrange for chocolates and dry fruits and distributed them among the hungry leaders.
A visibly tired assembly saw further protests from Congress and JD(S) leaders seeking an adjournment. Senior Congress leader R.V. Deshpande appealed to the BJP to allow the session to be adjourned until Tuesday with the promise that they will hold the floor test then.
Kumar sought Yeddyurappa’s opinion on the appeal, to which the BJP leader said, “We again appeal to you to keep your (speaker) word of holding the floor test today. The CM and the deputy CM have left the house, CLP (Congress legislature party) leader Siddaramaiah remains quiet, what do you expect to happen?”
Several members of the House had left by then as the session dragged late into the evening.
Finally, the Speaker announced that he would be seated on his chair at 10.01 am Tuesday and would allow the trust vote debate to continue only till 4 pm. He ordained that the process for voting must be completed by 6 pm.
But as the session began on Tuesday, the benches of the ruling coalition remained largely empty as the leaders delayed their arrival to the House. Minister U.T. Khader apologised on behalf of the coalition partners for the delay even as the BJP was quick to call this another act of filibustering.
Also read: Karnataka floor test today: 4 likely scenarios as Kumaraswamy govt faces trust vote