Cong-JD(S) govt collapses in Karnataka; CM loses trust by 6 votes

Bengaluru: After a day full of high tension drama and tears shed, H D Kumaraswamy and his government lost the trust motion by a margin of 6 votes. BJP's B S Yeddyurappa, jubilant from the victory declared, "We will form the government.

 

Here are the blow by blow account of everything that happened today:

08:50 pm: HD Kumaraswamy submits his resignation to Karnataka Governor, Vajubhai Vala.

(Photo: ANI)

08:50 pm: HD Kumaraswamy submits his resignation to Karnataka Governor, Vajubhai Vala.

08:30 pm: HD Kumaraswamy arrives at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru.

HD Kumaraswamy arrives at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru. Kumaraswamy led Congress-JD(S) government lost trust vote in the assembly, today. pic.twitter.com/F9gTYxRup8

— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2019

08:10 pm: Yeddyurappa also added, "People were fed up with Kumaraswamy government. I want to assure people of Karnataka that a new era of development will start now," ANI quoted him as saying. "We assure the farmers that we will give more importance to them in the coming days. We will take an appropriate decision at the soonest," he added.

07:59 pm: B S Yeddyurappa said, "We will form the government."

07:50 pm: BJP wins trust vote in Karnataka State Assembly.

BS Yeddyurappa & other Karnataka BJP MLAs show victory sign in the Assembly, after HD Kumaraswamy led Congress-JD(S) coalition government loses trust vote. pic.twitter.com/hmkGHL151z

— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2019

07:40 pm: The 14-month-old Congress-JD(S) government led by H D Kumaraswamy loses trust vote in Karnataka state assembly.

07:25 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh: “You must sit in your designated seats for vote counting (because there is no electronic vote in Karnataka assembly).”

Door have now been closed.

07:22 pm: Voting on HD Kumaraswamy’s trust motion begins in Karnataka Assembly

07:20 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh: “There’s a finance bill pending and I request them to approve it and then go for Trust vote because of the drought in the state. Now I move the motion.”

07:18 pm: 2 hrs on, Kumaraswamy continues speech on trust vote, misses 6 pm deadline. Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who is responding to the debate on the trust vote, has been speaking for 2 hours in the state assembly and is long past the 6 pm deadline that Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar had set for the confidence vote. The chief minister had started his speech at around 5.20 pm. The opposition hasn’t complained much about the speech since it figures that the Congress-JDS coalition will not try to wriggle out of voting today.

07:08 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh: When I released funds for Mandya, they speculated that it was because I wanted my son to contest from there. He lost and I accept that. But the funds were not given because he would contest.

07:01 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh in Karnataka Assembly: “Why did these rebels leave? I don’t know what they’ve gone to achieve. Under CM relief fund Rs 100 crore has been given to people in the past year. I ensured that the children of this state in government schools should learn English. Now there’s a demand for these schools.”

06:47 pm: CM Kumaraswamy said, “This seat is not permanent for anybody. There have been 23 chief ministers in this state. With reference to the IMA case, CT Ravi said that chief minister had biryani. Who was to take an IMA accused MLA (Roshan Baig) by special flight? When we stopped him fleeing, they said we misused authority.”

06:39 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh said, “When Siddaramaiah was CM, he called me when I was in my village and told me that I’d become the minister. There should be a sense of gratitude.”

06:37 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh said, “I have already kept a letter ready with me and I’m ready to resign.”

06:35 pm: After CM Kumaraswamy’s speech, Speaker KR Ramesh said, “These rebel MLAs came to chamber and didn’t even seek permission. They went to Supreme Court and then came to me again.”

06:06 pm: “I have run a govt that lived under speculation of falling,” said CM Kumaraswamy. “For 14 months, I have run a government that lived under constant speculation of falling. I want to thank the authorities for working with the deadlines that the BJP gave us. They worked day and night and, if I’ve done anything over these past months, it’s because of them.”

06:02 pm: Kumaraswamy on trust vote: “After seeing reports, I wonder if I should be the CM. I am a very sensitive and emotional person. When I saw the reports against me, I wondered if I should be the chief minister. I’m hurt, and with great happiness, I’m giving up this post.

05:52 pm: Police Commissioner Alok Kumar has said, "Today and tomorrow we are imposing Section 144 across the city.All pubs, wine shops will be closed till 25th. If anyone is found violating these rules, they will be punished."

2:23 pm: D K Shivakumar continued saying, "Yes I was the reason MTB Nagaraj got a ticket. We spoke to him and he gave a statement as well. Couldn't we have locked them up? No, because we have trust in them. Bring them here, let them vote against this government."

2:14 pm:  D K Shivakumar in the Vidhana Soudha said, "It's not BJP leaders who have back-stabbed me but it's the rebels in Mumbai who have back-stabbed me. But, do not worry, they will do the same to all of you. They cannot become Ministers I'm telling you."

He also added that, "BJP leaders are being misguided. I went to Mumbai to speak to them (rebel MLAs). I spoke to one of the MLAs there and he asked me to come and take him away."

1:44 pm: Lawyers of the rebel MLAs met Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar at his chamber in Vidhana Soudha today. A delegation from the Congress party also met the Speaker.

12:50 pm: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of the submissions of Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar that the voting on the trust motion moved by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is likely to be concluded by this evening.

10:15 am: J Shettar, BJP said, “It's the final day for this government. We believed yesterday was the last but because of the 'milapi kushti' in between ruling party and others they postponed it for one day...We'll see what happens and if division of votes take place this government will definitely be defeated.”

Photo: ANI | Twitter

10:05 am: BS Yeddyurappa and other BJP MLAs arrive at Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru. HD Kumaraswamy government will face floor test in the Assembly today.

10:00 am: Shobha Karandlaje, BJP said, “They don't have the numbers. They're a minority government. MLAs are in Mumbai. They don't want to come. Let's see what happens by this evening. Confident that this government will definitely go. This isn't a people's government. People are upset, MLAs are upset.”

Photo: ANI | Twitter

09:55 am: Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar arrives at Vidhana Soudha. HD Kumaraswamy government will face floor test in the Assembly today.

09:43 am: Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on ‘allegation that he is intentionally providing more time to ruling parties to prove majority’: “I convey my thanks to them. I pray to God to give some sense to them.”

Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on ‘Rebel MLAs’ letter to him seeking four weeks time to appear before the speaker’: “It is all related to court proceedings. It will all be dealt with in the court.”

09:25 am: BJP MLAs leave from Ramada Hotel for Vidhana Soudha; HD Kumaraswamy government will face floor test in the Assembly today.

09:20 am: 13 Rebel MLAs have written letter to Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar seeking more time to appear before the speaker in Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru. They have asked for four weeks time.