Karnataka Speaker has acted in most partisan manner: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday accused Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar of acting in the "most partisan manner" and deliberately delaying the trust vote to help Congress-JDS government stay afloat.

"It is very unfortunate that the deadline is extended every day. The Speaker, about whom people had great expectations, has fully disappointed us. He has behaved in the most partisan manner," he told media persons here.

He urged the Speaker to ensure that the trust vote is not delayed further and completed today itself. "I urge him to complete it today itself. Otherwise, people will lose their faith in the institution."

The Speaker had on Monday night set the deadline at 6 pm today for the completion of the trust vote. "By 6 pm tomorrow the floor test will be done," he had said.

After a heated debate till Monday midnight, the Assembly was adjourned till Tuesday without voting on the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

The ruling coalition has already defied two deadlines set by Governor Vijubhai Vala to complete the voting.

While Opposition BJP has 105 MLAs, the ruling coalition's legislators number stands at 101 in the 225 members House. The halfway mark is 113.