After missing two deadlines, Karnataka gears up for trust vote again

The ongoing high-voltage political drama in Karnataka is likely to culminate on Monday with Congress-JD (S) coalition government schedule to face the crucial floor test in the Assembly.

Tension in both the camps i.e. JD(S)-Congress and the BJP, is apparently at its peak with leaders pulling up their socks and making all-out efforts to fetch numbers. In pursuit, both BJP and Congress leaders simultaneously held legislative party meetings in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Also, ahead of the trust vote, the BJP is scheduled to convene another parliamentary party meeting on Monday morning.

In a seemingly last-ditch attempt to persuade rebel MLAs, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday appealed them to attend the Assembly Session and explain how the BJP allegedly sabotaged democratic edifice and "destroyed its sanctity".

With Karnataka Assembly scheduled to take confidence motion on Monday, all eyes are now stuck on the proceedings of the day particularly in the backdrop of BJP alleging the Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar of dragging his feet on the floor test. On Friday, the Assembly failed to meet two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala to complete the trust vote.

After which, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy moved the Supreme Court challenging the Governor's directive to the government saying it was in violation of well-settled law laid down by the court.

On the other hand, two independent Karnataka MLAs on Sunday moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to conclude a floor test in the state Assembly on Monday before 5 pm.

Earlier giving a twist to the political stalemate in Karnataka, the Supreme Court had on July 12 ordered a status quo until July 16 on a plea filed by 10 dissident MLAs of Congress and JD (S) seeking a direction to the Assembly Speaker to accept their resignation and not proceed with the applications for their disqualification.

Afterwards, the Supreme Court on July 17 held that the 15 rebel Karnataka Congress-JD(S) MLAs cannot be compelled to participate in the trust vote in the Assembly.

The 13-month-old Congress-JDS government slumped into a minority earlier this month following the resignation of several dissident MLAs. Sixteen MLAs from the ruling coalition including thirteen Congress and three JD(S) MLAs have resigned.

The state Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113.