Rebel MLAs should come to Assembly: Congress in K'taka Assembly

The Congress on Wednesday demanded that the rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs should come to the Assembly and participate in the proceedings on the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

"We have said we will finish this by 6 pm. We don't know why the rebels resigned. They have to come to the session. But this has happened because of the BJP. They resign and go by a special flight. If they have any problems with the government then

"I ask them why they are not with the people in their constituencies. Why are they in Mumbai? Why are they sending WhatsApp videos? This is all because BJP wants to come to power," Congress MLA U T Khader said in speech as the House resumed the discussion on the confidence motion.

"BJP is on its toes to rule the state, run the government but they will have to wait. There was no majority by the people's mandate. Hence a coalition was the only choice," he said.

Countering this, senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa said the session should be not be held according to the whims of the MLAs

"Should the MLAs come when the session is called or should the session be held according to the whims of the MLAs? If the Chief Minister cannot come then what can we expect from others? They don't come on time but come at 4 pm they will start demanding to be given time. I have never seen something like this," Eshwarappa said.

"There are many newcomers in our ranks as well. We have never seen this. Our leaders have told us clearly that we shouldn't speak at all. But I'm speaking now because they refuse to come to discuss. Even when the Speaker is sitting here and 105 MLAs are sitting here, the treasury benches are empty. This has never happened," he said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court deferred hearing for tomorrow in a petition moved by two Independent legislators in Karnataka seeking a direction to conclude the floor test.

The hearing was deferred after Speaker told the apex court that the trust vote will be completed by today.

The 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.