BENGALURU, July 21 - The fate of the fragile HD Kumaraswamy led Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka is likely to be decided on the floor of the assembly on Monday after it defied on July 19 the two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala to prove majority after the ministry was wracked by a raft of resignations by rebel MLAs.
Amid reports that the government was still trying to prolong the discussion on the confidence motion moved by the Chief Minister on Thursday, hoping for some kind of relief from the Supreme Court, the ruling coalition was making last ditch efforts to win back unrelenting rebel lawmakers.
Kumaraswamy and the Congress had moved the Supreme Court on Friday, accusing the Governor of interfering with the Assembly proceedings when the debate on the trust vote was underway and sought clarification on its July 17 order, which they said,caused hindrance in issuing whip to the legislators.
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 that has been on for the last three weeks and which threatens to blow into a constitutional crisis.
As the first deadline neared on Friday, 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 Governor�s second missive 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.
However, before adjourning the House on Friday, Speaker Ramesh Kumar extracted a �commitment� from the coalition that the motion of confidence would reach finality on Monday, even as he made it clear that it would not be prolonged further under any circumstances.
With discussion on the confidence motion yet to be completed after treasury benches insisted that Ramesh Kumar allow its long list of speakers to voice their feelings, questions are still being raised in political circles over whether voting on the confidence motion will happen Monday also and whether the government will keep up its promise, by not delaying the process further.
If the ruling coalition tries to delay the proceedings on Monday also,all eyes will be on the next move by the Governor, who has been keeping the Centre posted on the unfolding drama in the state. � PTI
