Cong-JDS govt defies 2 deadlines by Guv to prove majority

In a face-off with Governor Vajubhai Vala, the JDS-Congress government in Karnataka defied the two deadlines set by him to demonstrate its majority in the Assembly Friday itself, worsening the political logjam.

The assembly was adjourned till Monday after the governor's 1.30 pm deadline and the second one to conclude the confidence motion process by Friday itself was ignored, prolonging the climax to the ceaseless power struggle.

As the first deadline neared, the ruling coalition vociferously questioned the governor's power to issue such a direction, with Kumaraswamy citing a Supreme Court verdict that a governor cannot act as ombudsman of the legislature.

The second missive by the governor was dismissed as a "love letter" by Kumaraswamy who criticised Vala for talking about horse-trading now "when it had been happening" for the last several days.

Before adjourning the House for the day, Speaker Ramesh Kumar said the motion of confidence would reach finality on Monday and it would not be prolonged further under any circumstances, to which the government agreed.

In his second missive to Kumaraswamy, the governor expressed his "prima facie satisfaction" that the government has lost its majority confidence of the house.

"When the allegations of horse-trading are widely made and I am receiving many complaints, it is constitutionally imperative that the floor test be completed without any delay and today itself.

"I, therefore, require you to prove your majority and complete and conclude the floor test procedure today," Vala told Kumaraswamy in the second letter since Thursday.

The governor said he was receiving various reports about the attempts being made for horse-trading.

"This can be averted only if the exercise of conducting the floor test is conducted at the earliest and without any delay," the governor said.

As he was speaking on the confidence motion, Kumaraswamy said, "I have received the second love letter" from the governor. He has got gnanodaya (awareness) now. Governor talks about horsetrading in the letter... was he not aware of it till now," Kumaraswamy said.

"Let us do politics...we are also here...we will not fear and run away. Why couldn't the governor see horse-trading when the MLAs were resigning," he said.

Referring to 15 rebel MLAs of ruling Congress and JDS resignations and their stay in a Mumbai hotel, he asked "If the governor had taken action when the MLAs resigned, will all these special aircraft (to shift the MLAs) have flown.

"Governor gave police protection to MLAs until they left," Kumaraswamy alleged.

"I seek your protection," the chief minister told the Speaker and left the letter (deadline) issue to him.

Kumaraswamy, who had moved the confidence motion Thursday, said 25 to 26 members had to still speak on the confidence motion and requested the speaker to give them the time.

The House, which missed the Governor's 1.30 pm deadline for the voting on the confidence motion, was also locked in a debate on when the trust vote process should be completed.

"Lot of discussion has happened; I want to close it (trust motion process) today," the speaker said towards the end of the day's proceedings.

He also said, "Caesar's wife should be above suspicion; I cannot be guilty of dragging proceedings."
Kumaraswamy said "I have made preliminary submission; we can conclude (the process) on Monday."
Amid pandemonium, Congress members accused the BJP of misusing the governor's office to conspire against the government and shouted slogans, "Go back governor."