HD Kumaraswamy resigns as Chief Minister of Karnataka after losing trust vote

Politics

Kumaraswamy gave his resignation to the Governor about an hour after he lost the Trust Vote in the Karnataka Assembly.

Anna Isaac

Theja Ram

After days of drama, closed-door negotiations and unsuccessful attempts to pacify rebelling MLAs, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy submitted his resignation to the Governor, about an hour after he lost the Trust Vote in the Assembly. With this, the 13-month-old JD(S)-Congress government in the state has officially come to end. "I hereby tender my resignation to the post of Chief Minister of Karnataka along with my Cabinet and request you to kindly accept the same. I take this opportunity to extend my grateful thanks for the cooperation given to me and my colleagues during my tenure," Kumaraswamy said in his letter.  The Governor accepted his resignation and asked him to continue as caretaker CM until further notice.  Kumaraswamy’s resignation comes after the coalition lost the Trust Vote moved by the former CM himself in the state Assembly. HDK managed to get just 98 votes, versus 105 against him. The coalition's multiple efforts to stall the Trust Vote and bring back the rebel MLAs to their fold ended in the embarassing defeat on the floor of the House on Tuesday evening. With the rebel MLAs showing no signs of returning to the coalition and the Speaker unable to delay the trust vote any further, Tuesday evening saw Kumaraswamy going over to the Raj Bhavan around 8.30 pm and giving in his resignation. While the Congress and JD(S) had formed a sudden coalition in May 2018 and snatched away BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa's dream of becoming CM again, a year later, things have come a full circle, as Yeddyurappa and the BJP have clearly aided much of the rebellion, though they continue to deny any involvement. The politics in Karnataka, which has been unravelling since July 6, has seen all ministers in Kumaraswamy’s cabinet resign to make way for rebelling MLAs, but to no avail. Attempts by Congress’ troubleshooter and former minister DK Shivakumar to reach out to the MLAs, who were camped in a Mumbai hotel, also failed, with the leader even being detained by the police. The end of the road, however, came when more MLAs tendered their resignations and the Supreme Court allowing the rebelling legislators to sit out of the Assembly proceedings.  The crisis for the coalition began on July 6 when 12 Congress and JD(S) MLAs submitted their resignations to the Speaker’s office. Just days before that Congress MLA Anand Singh had also tendered his resignation. The disgruntled MLAs accused Kumaraswamy of inefficiency and not taking into confidence the requests put forth by his fellow legislators. Though the coalition has accused the BJP of orchestrating the rebellion and provided proof to support their allegations, the dissent within the coalition, that had been brewing for months, has eventually lead to its collapse. With the fall of the Kumaraswamy government, the floor is now open for BS Yeddyurappa to stake claim. Alternatively, he can wait for bye-elections to be completed and then make a move to form the next government. Karnataka remains a state that has seen only four stable governments that completed its term. 

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Despite Mayawati’s tweet, BSP MLA abstains from Karnataka floor test

Karnataka floor test

BSP Chief Mayawati had put out a tweet on July 21 stating she had directed her party MLA to support HD Kumaraswamy in the trust vote.

TNM Staff

The JD(S)-Congress coalition government fell on Tuesday as HD Kumaraswamy lost the trust vote by six votes. While 98 MLAs voted in favour of Kumaraswamy, 105 MLAs voted against him and the 15 rebel MLAs abstained from the floor test. However, also missing from the Vidhana Soudha was the lone BSP MLA in the Assembly, N Mahesh. The MLA abstained from voting in the floor test despite orders from BSP Chief Mayawati to support HD Kumaraswamy. Mayawati had put out a tweet on July 21 stating she had directed her party MLA to support Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy in Tuesday’s trust vote. This tweet had come as a surprise as just a day before, Mahesh had stated that he would abstain from voting in Monday’s trust as directed by his party’s supremo. Also read: HD Kumaraswamy loses Karnataka Trust Vote, decks cleared for BJP The Kollegal MLA N Mahesh was formerly a minister in the Kumaraswamy cabinet but resigned in 2018 following disagreements between the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress concerning seat-sharing in the 2018 Madhya Pradesh elections. But the JD(S) and BSP were the only pre-poll alliance before the May 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections and Mahesh had maintained his support for the government. The  Congress and JD(S) in May 2018 had formed a sudden coalition in May 2018 and snatched away BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa's dream of becoming CM again.  However, the crisis for the coalition government in Karnataka started on July 6, when 10 rebel MLAs submitted their resignations. Despite all ministers in Kumaraswamy’s cabinet resigning to make way for rebelling MLAs, the rebels could not be pacified. Attempts by Congress’ troubleshooter and former minister DK Shivakumar to reach out to the MLAs, who were camped in a Mumbai hotel, also failed, with the leader even being detained by the police. The end of the road, however, came when more MLAs tendered their resignations and the Supreme Court allowing the rebelling legislators to sit out of the Assembly proceedings.

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HD Kumaraswamy loses Karnataka Trust Vote, decks cleared for BJP

Politics

The loss comes after the coalition tried to delay the trust vote in the Karnataka Assembly for four full days.

Prajwal Bhat

Soumya Chatterjee

JD(S) chief and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy lost the crucial Trust Vote in the Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday. Kumaraswamy himself had moved the motion for the Trust Vote on Thursday, as several MLAs from the Congress-JD(S) coalition submitted their resignations to the Speaker, Ramesh Kumar. However, after four full days of debates and delaying tactics in the Assembly, Kumaraswamy was not able to gain the trust of the House by six votes. Kumaraswamy will now submit his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala, and the decks are cleared for the BJP to stake claim to form the next government in the state. Whether the BJP will stake claim or whether the state will now see President’s rule is unclear at this point. The loss comes after the coalition tried to delay the trust vote in the Karnataka Assembly. However, these efforts received a setback when Governor Vaju Bhai Vala gave two deadlines asking the Chief Minister to prove his majority in the house. With the rebel MLAs showing no signs of returning to the coalition and the Speaker unable to delay the trust vote any further, the only options before Kumaraswamy was to lose the trust vote or resign. He chose the former and lost.  While the Congress and JD(S) had formed a sudden coalition in May 2018 and snatched away BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa's dream of becoming CM again, a year later, things have come a full circle, as Yeddyurappa and the BJP have clearly aided much of the rebellion, though they continue to deny any involvement. The politics in Karnataka, which has been unravelling since July 6, has seen all ministers in Kumaraswamy’s cabinet resign to make way for rebelling MLAs, but to no avail. Attempts by Congress’ troubleshooter and former minister DK Shivakumar to reach out to the MLAs, who were camped in a Mumbai hotel, also failed, with the leader even being detained by the police. The end of the road, however, came when more MLAs tendered their resignations and the Supreme Court allowing the rebelling legislators to sit out of the Assembly proceedings. The crisis for the coalition began on July 6 when 12 Congress and JD(S) MLAs submitted their resignations to the Speaker’s office. Just days before that Congress MLA Anand Singh had also tendered his resignation. The disgruntled MLAs accused Kumaraswamy of inefficiency and not taking into confidence the requests put forth by his fellow legislators. Though the coalition has accused the BJP of orchestrating the rebellion and provided proof to support their allegations, the dissent within the coalition, that had been brewing for months, has eventually lead to its collapse. With the fall of the Kumaraswamy government, the floor is now open for BS Yeddyurappa to stake claim. Alternatively, he can wait for bye-elections to be completed and then make a move to form the next government. Karnataka remains a state that has seen only four stable governments that completed its term.

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Prohibitory orders imposed in Bengaluru for 48 hours, pubs and liquor shops shut

Karnataka Crisis

Though prohibitory orders were in place around the Vidhana Soudha building, it has now been extended to the entire city.

TNM Staff

In the midst of the political crisis in Karnataka, Section 144 (unlawful assembly) was imposed in Bengaluru for 48 hours by the Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar, starting from 6 pm on Tuesday. Though prohibitory orders were in place around the Vidhana Soudha building, it has now been extended to the entire city. "Due to the tension prevailing on either side, various political groups gathering here and there and coming face to face with each other, to prevent any untoward incident, we have declared Section 144 all over Bengaluru city police limits and we have also declared that there will be prohibition and all bars, pubs and wine shops will be closed today and tomorrow," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar told the media.  This came just as Congress and JD(S) workers gathered outside an apartment building at Race Course Road, where two independent MLAs – H Nagesh and R Shankar – are reportedly staying. This is where BJP MLA R Ashoka also lives. With this action, liquor stores across the city will be also be shut down. Police sources confirmed to TNM that the prohibitory orders will be in place from 6 pm on Tuesday.  The prohibitory orders come with just minutes to go for the trust vote in the Karnataka Assembly, which was scheduled for 6pm on Tuesday. The JD(S)-Congress government had promised to go ahead with the floor test late on Monday night, with Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar giving the ruling combine the deadline. The latest deadline had come after the ruling coalition had delayed the trust vote from Thursday, bypassing two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala. The two independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh were spotted walking out of the Nitesh Apartments complex on Race Course Road and within minutes, Congress and JD(S) workers gathered at the apartments in an attempt to block the MLAs from going to the Vidhana Soudha.

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Youth Cong workers protest outside Mumbai hotel housing rebel MLAs, detained

Politics

Renaissance Hotel is where the 15 rebel MLAs of the Congress-JD(S) coalition are holed up since July 6.

TNM Staff

Screengrab

As the drama surrounding the floor test for Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s government stretched on on Tuesday, Mumbai police detained members of the Youth Congress as they started protesting in front of the Renaissance Hotel. This is where 15 rebel MLAs of the Congress-JD(S) coalition who had approached the Supreme Court are holed up since July 6. The protesting Youth Congress workers were immediately detained and put in police vans as soon as they tried approaching the hotel entrance.  The protest came as Congress and JD(S)'s attempts to convince the MLAs to come back to their fold failed. The rebels had also defied summons by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar to meet him with regard to the disqualification petitions; instead, their lawyers had held a meeting with the Speaker. These 15 MLAs are Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak), Byrathi Basavaraj (KR Puram), ST Somashekhar (Yeshwanthpura), BC Patil (Hirekerur), Shivaram Hebbar (Yellapur), Prathapgouda Patil (Maski), Mahesh Kumathalli (Athani), K Gopalaiah (Mahalakshmi Layout), AH Vishwanath (Hunasuru), Narayana Gowda (Krishanarajapete), Munirathna Naidu (RR Nagar), Roshan Baig (Shivajinagar), MTB Nagaraj (Hoskote), K Sudhakar (Chikkaballapura) and Anand Singh (Vijayanagara).  Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had also adjourned hearing on Tuesday without passing an interim order on a plea by two independent MLAs seeking an immediate floor test in Karnataka. The case will be heard again on Wednesday. On Tuesday too, the Congress-JD(S) went on to attack the BJP in the Assembly for alleged horse-trading, while the BJP maintained that the floor test was being delayed without any basis. Speaking at the Assembly, Congress troubleshooter and senior minister DK Shivakumar said, “Today I am hurt. My friends in Mumbai (referring to the rebels) have stabbed me in the back. The people who I worked with for decades, with whom I broke bread, and considered family, have broken my trust. They were a part of my political family and they stabbed me in the back. My stomach churns just thinking of it.” As things stand, the BJP has a clear-cut numerical advantage with the support of two independent MLAs.      

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BJP is organising your political funeral: DK Shivakumar’s last-min appeal to rebel MLAs

Politics

Karnataka Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar’s appeal comes with just hours to go for the trust vote deadline, set by the Speaker.

Theja Ram

A pall of gloom has descending on the ruling Congress-JD(S) benches of the Karnataka Assembly. The trust vote is slated to take place at 5pm on Tuesday and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar's impassioned appeal to the rebels to return seemed like a last-minute attempt to save the government. Known as Congress' Man Friday, DK Shivakumar, who generally exudes confidence in the face of a crisis, turned emotional and accused his "friends in Bombay" (referring to the rebels lodged in a Mumbai hotel) of stabbing him in the back. An angry Shivakumar, whose voice quivered as he made his speech in Karnataka Assembly, vowed that the rebel MLAs would never be made Ministers in the BJP government, if it ever came to be. "I am going to speak. I have every right to. I am deeply hurt and I feel betrayed. The people who I worked with for decades, with whom I broke bread, worked and considered family have broken my trust. They were a part of my political family and they stabbed me in the back. My stomach churns just thinking of it," DK Shivakumar said. Addressing the BJP MLAs in the Assembly, Shivakumar said that his party (Congress) was not delaying the trust vote unnecessarily and that the legislators who were hurt had every right to express their emotions. "I am telling you (BJP MLAs) this. Tomorrow, you will also be stabbed in the back and I am telling you today. Those friends of mine you have under lock and key, they will never be made Ministers if you come to power," he said. Shivakumar appealed to the MLAs to return "home" and accused the BJP of trying to sabotage their political careers. Shivakumar said that the fate of the rebels would be to run from pillar to post, from one court to another, trying to sort out the "mess the BJP landed them in". "I am asking you my friends (referring to the MLAs) please come back. It hurts me to see the BJP organise your political funeral. Next we all must visit you with garlands in our hands to moan the demise of your careers. You cannot become ministers. The BJP is duping you. Open your eyes," DK Shivakumar said. Shivakumar was referring to the MLAs being potentially disqualified under article 164 i (a), where a legislator can be disqualified for aligning himself/herself with another party and also for indulging in anti-party activities. "We don't need to issue a whip to disqualify them. You cannot become ministers (referring to them not being able to take up the post without winning bye-elections)," DK Shivakumar warned. He also issued an open challenge to Hoskote MLA MTB Nagaraj, Shivakumar's trusted associate that his next battle would be to end Nagaraj in his own political game. "When I called MTB Nagaraj, he told me that the BJP would make him a minister... He was my friend. He betrayed me... My next battle will be in Hoskote against him," Shivakumar said. The strength of the Karnataka Assembly is 224 including the Speaker. Currently, the coalition has 100 MLAs on its side including the Speaker and the BSP MLA Mahesh. This after 16 MLAs resigned and two independents withdrew support from the coalition. One of the Congress MLAs, B Nagendra, has been hospitalized, while another legislator Shrimant Patil admitted himself in a Mumbai hospital claiming he was unwell. The BJP has 107 (105 MLAs plus two independents).

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4 dengue deaths reported in Dakshina Kannada as state sees rise in dengue cases

Dengue

Around 400 cases of dengue have been recorded from the district as of Friday, with more than half of the cases being reported from Mangaluru.

Arza Safiya

With the demise of BTV cameraman Nagesh Padu on Sunday, the death toll from dengue in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district has risen to four. Several authorities in the district are stepping up awareness measures to ensure that the spread of dengue is contained.   Four deaths have been reported since the start of July, including 2 children and a woman. The first victim to succumb to dengue was Veena Nayak, a resident of Kadaba taluk, who died in the first week of the month. On July 16, an 8-year-old boy, Krish N Suvarna was the next one to succumb to dengue. Two days later, 12-year-old Shradha Shetty too lost her life after having developed a reaction called ‘Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis' or HLH reaction, which can be seen in severely aggravated cases of dengue. Nagesh and a team of four journalists had visited dengue-affected areas ten days ago to report on the outbreak. While Nagesh succumbed to dengue, the other three have developed fever.  HLH is a rare complication of dengue wherein specific cells of the immune system become too active and result in the onset of a number of related symptoms which may lead to death. Those presenting with HLH often have an enlarged spleen and liver, and possibly may present with multiorgan failure.  Around 400 cases of dengue have been recorded from the Dakshina Kannada district as of Friday, with more than half of the cases being reported from Mangaluru.  District health department officials have stated that the season, with its sporadic rainfall and little sunlight, has resulted in an environment that is suitable for the mosquitoes which are vectors for dengue. They have alerted the public to take precautionary measures such as using repellants, not leave stagnant water pooling around and to wear protective clothing.  Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by one of the five major serotypes (or strains) of the dengue virus. The virus is spread to humans via mosquito bites. Symptoms of the fever typically set in anywhere from three days to two weeks of being exposed to the virus. Story by Story Infinity (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP.)

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