HD Kumaraswamy defies Governor’s diktat

Bengaluru/New Delhi, July 19

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

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and the Congress also moved the Supreme Court accusing Vala of interfering with the Assembly proceedings.

The Assembly was adjourned till Monday without taking up the voting on the motion of confidence moved by Kumaraswamy. Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar adjourned the House after the government ignored two deadlines.

Before adjournment, the Speaker made it clear that finality would be put on the motion on Monday and the matter would not be prolonged further under any circumstances. “As the debate on the confidence motion moved by the CM on Thursday did not conclude in the Assembly, the Speaker could not conduct the floor test by the 6 pm deadline set by the Governor for the second time,” an official said.

As the first deadline neared, the ruling coalition questioned the Governor’s power to issue such a direction, with Kumaraswamy citing an SC verdict that a Governor could not act as ombudsman of the legislature. 

The second missive by the Governor was dismissed as a “love letter” by Chief Minister Kumaraswamy who criticised Vala for talking about horse-trading now “when it had been happening” for the past several days.

The Governor had directed the Chief Minister to prove majority by 6 pm after the 1.30 pm deadline he set on Thursday night lapsed, as the discussions on the motion did not conclude by then.

In the Supreme Court, Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao filed separate applications this afternoon accusing the Governor of interfering with the Assembly proceedings during the debate on trust vote and sought clarification on its July 17 order causing hindrance in issuing whip to the legislators.

Both applications sought clarification on the July 17 order of the apex court by which the 15 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs were granted relief that they could not be compelled to participate in the ongoing Assembly proceedings. — Agencies

Horse-trading charge

When 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. — Vajubhai Vala, Governor

Another ‘love letter’

I have received the second love letter. He (Guv) has got awareness now. He talks about horse-trading in the letter... was he not aware of it till now. Why couldn’t he see horse-trading when MLAs were resigning. — HD Kumaraswamy, CM