The Karnataka Assembly was adjourned on Friday evening without a floor test despite demands from the Bharatiya Janata Party to not delay it further. The trust vote will now be conducted on Monday, July 22.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief Dinesh Gundu Rao filed petitions in the Supreme Court, seeking clarity on its order that the rebel MLAs cannot be forced to vote on the confidence motion.
8.27 pm: The Karnataka Assembly has been adjourned till July 22, ANI reports. The trust vote will be held on that date.
8.05 pm: “Our police have met the family members of the legislator [Shrimanth Patil] who has stated that he has gone on his own will,” state Home Minister MB Patil says according to The Hindu. “But our police team was not allowed to meet the MLA in the hospital in Mumbai. The MLA also did not wish to meet the state police.”
7.47 pm: “We respect you, Speaker sir,” Yeddyurappa says. “Governor’s last letter said the vote should finish today. People on our side will sit peacefully till late in the night. Let it take however long it takes and it will also mean that we can respect governor’s direction.”
7.40 pm: BJP leader Suresh Kumar says the debate on motion on confidence cannot be dragged on forever, The Hindu reports. “The sanctity of the vote of confidence is lost if this happens,” he says. “Please conclude however long it takes today.”
7.30 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar reiterates that no rebel MLA has written him any letter. “If they have informed any member that they have stayed away from House for security reasons then they’re misleading people,” he says according to ANI.
7.18 pm: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara says the party has approached the Supreme Court on the matter of issuing a whip to its MLAs, as well as arguing that the governor cannot issue directives or deadlines when the House is in session, ANI reports.
7.10 pm: However, BS Yeddyurappa urges the Speaker to take the floor test on Friday itself and “respect the governor’s directive”.
7 pm: Congress leader Siddaramaiah says it is impossible to skip the floor test, News9 reports. “We will give the floor test on Monday,” he says.
6.49 pm: The Speaker says that the Assembly proceedings will conclude for the day by 8 pm.
6.44 pm: “If the rebel MLAs will approach me seeking protection, I will give them protection,” the Speaker says according to News9. “They haven’t approached me yet.”
6.31 pm: However, HD Kumaraswamy seems to disagree. “All members should be given an opportunity to speak on the floor,” he says according to News9. “MLAs want to go to their respective constituencies. We will conclude the session on Monday.”
6.27 pm: “Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion, I cannot be guilty of dragging proceedings,” Kumar adds.
6.24 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar says enough discussion has taken place and he wants to close the trust motion on Friday, PTI reports.
5.44 pm: “Operation Kamala was first done by state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa,” Shivalinge Gowda says according to News9. “BJP is trying to twist anti-defection law.”
5.34 pm: “Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s floor test lasted for 10 days,” Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Shivalinge Gowda says. “Why is BJP opposing discussion on floor test?”
5.24 pm: Congress leader Siddaramaiah says the floor test will not take place today, The Indian Express reports.
5 pm: HD Kumaraswamy has also filed a plea in the Supreme Court, against the court’s verdict that the 15 rebel MLAs cannot be ordered to vote in the floor test. The chief minister also says the Janata Dal (Secular) has a right to issue a whip to its lawmakers.
4.37 pm: “I leave the decision on the floor test to you [Speaker],” Kumaraswamy adds according to ANI. “It won’t be directed by Delhi. I request you to protect me from the letter sent by the governor.”
4.33 pm: I have received a second love letter,” says Kumaraswamy in the Assembly, referring to the governor’s missive, PTI reports. “I have respect for the governor. But the second love letter from the governor has hurt me. He only came to know about horse trading 10 days ago?”
4.24 pm: Dinesh Gundu Rao alleges that BJP National President and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has a role in the Karnataka crisis, The Indian Express reports. Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) legislators chant: “Down, down Amit Shah, down down BJP.”
4.15 pm: “BJP is trying to destabilise the government for the seventh time,” says Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Shivalinge Gowda according to News9.
3.59 pm: “We have approached the Supreme Court,” Dinesh Gundu Rao says according to News9. “BJP wants to take away our rights. This is democracy and everyone has rights.”
3.45 pm: A BJP delegation will meet the governor on Friday and complain against Kumaraswamy for not following the governor’s instructions to hold a trust vote, The Indian Express reports.
3.35 pm: Governor Vajubhai Vala has issued another deadline, 6 pm, for the chief minister to hold a floor test, News9 reports.
3.24 pm: Karnataka Pradesh Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking clarification about the Supreme Court’s interim order, reports News9. Rao says the party has the right to issue whip to its MLAs.
3.18 pm: State BJP President BS Yeddyurappa says the party will move a breach of privilege motion against Kolar MLA Srinivas Gowda of the Janata Dal (Secular) for alleging in the Assembly that the saffron party offered him Rs 5 crore, reports ANI.
2.26 pm: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says that the discussion is still not complete and 20 members are yet to participate, ANI reports. “I don’t think it will finish today and it will continue on Monday also,” he adds.
1.58 pm: “According to our rules there is no opportunity to go for division [of votes for floor test] without discussion,” says Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, according to The Quint. “I know you are in a hurry but that is not possible. It is up to the chief minister to respond to the letter Governor wrote to him.”
1.46 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar says the Governor’s order on holding a trust vote in the Assembly has to be decided by the chief minister since the letter was sent to him, reports ANI. The Speaker adjourns the Assembly till 3 pm.
1.36 pm: Governor Vajubhai Vala’s deadline to hold a trust vote in the House by 1.30 pm ends.
1.31 pm: Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda says the governor gave the BJP 15 days to prove their majority in the House in May 2018, reports Hindustan Times. “But we’re given 15 hours, if this doesn’t smack of conspiracy what does?”
1.26 pm: Congress MPs protest in Lok Sabha over the ongoing political crisis in Karnataka, reports PTI. Congress leaders raised the matter in the House soon after proceedings began, but Speaker Om Birla did not entertain the request.
Leaders of the Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam entered the well of the House when the Speaker went ahead with the Question Hour. Birla agreed to give an opportunity to raise the matter, ollowing which members returned to their seats.
1.20 pm: Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda accuses BJP of indulging in horse trading, reports News9. “In your [BJP] greed for power you are destroying the Constitution,” he says.
1.15 pm: Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar says he has received an e-mail from Congress MLA Shrimanth Patil. The legislator said he left for Chennai from the resort where he was staying with other Congress MLAs as he was feeling uneasy and had to be moved to a hospital in Mumbai to consult his family doctor, reports The Quint. “I will not be able to write in the proper format because of the Emergency,” he says in the letter. “I have not been kidnapped by any BJP MLA and I will not be able to attend the rest of this session.”
1.06 pm: Kumaraswamy says trust vote needs to be discussed and it cannot be completed by 1.30 pm on Friday, reports News18. “Let everyone speak and discuss first,” he says.
1.02 pm: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy says he is not questioning the governor, but Vote of Confidence motion has already been moved, reports News18. “I leave it to you, Speaker,” he says. “You should decide if the governor has the right to give me this direction.”
12.56 pm: Mumbai Police allow Karnataka Police to meet Karnataka Congress MLA Shrimanth Patil, who is admitted to a hospital in Mumbai, and take his statement, ANI reports.
12.46 pm: “If the BJP is silent that means they accept the allegations,” says Congress MLA Krishna Byregowda says, according to Hindustan Times.
12.40 pm: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy says legislators were offered Rs 40 crore to Rs 50 crore to lure them, reports PTI. “Whose money is it?”
12.38 pm: Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Srinivas Gowda claims the BJP offered him money to join the party, reports News9. Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar says the BJP should file a case against Gowda if charges are false.
12.32 pm: Kumaraswamy alleges that the BJP has its own hotel to keep MLAs, reports Hindustan Times. “They’ve kept a whole group of bouncers but those MLAs have to come back,” the chief minister says. “How many days will they [MLAs] stay in Mumbai?”
12.28 pm: Kumaraswamy says Karnataka had three chief ministers between 2008 and 2013 when the BJP was in power, reports Hindustan Times. “In 1999, when Vajpayee sought trust it went on for 10 days,” he says. “But there is tremendous haste today. We know how they MLAs resigned, please take them and form your government.”
12.15 pm: Kumaraswamy says after 14 months, “we have come to the final stage,” during the debate on the trust vote in the Assembly, News18 reports.
12.13 pm: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy says the coalition has not indulged in black magic to save the government, News9. “I am a child of circumstances,” Kumaraswamy says.
12.09 pm: State BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa says Friday will be the end of the “Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government misrule”, PTI reports. “The chief minister will make his farewell speech today, we will patiently hear it,” Yeddyurappa says. “Depending on the outcome of the proceedings in the House today, we will discuss with our national president Amit Shah and decide on the future course of action.”
11.58 am: Kumaraswamy says: “I do not have lust for power. This position is not important for me. I want to set an example for generations to come. I had not dreamt of becoming the CM. I’m an accidental CM.”
11.55 am: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy claims the BJP has tried toppling the government since the government was formed. “Since the govt was formed BJP claimed the coalition was unstable,” he says, according to News9. “Power and position are temporary. I will not beg anyone to come back.”
11.51 am: Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar says he has the strength to take a non-partisan decision, reports ANI. “Those who hurl slurs at my character, look back at what your life has been,” he says. “Anyone who knows me knows I don’t have lakhs of money stashed up like others. I have enough strength to take a non partisan decision despite such slurs.”
10.42 am: The Congress has submitted an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha on “current political situation in Karnataka”, reports ANI. Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Ray has also submitted an adjournment motion notice over the “kidnapping of Karnataka MLAs”.
10.40 am: BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje accuses Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar of acting like an agent of the Congress and the government. “Speaker should accept resignations of MLAs,” News9 quotes her as saying.
10.38 am: Congress parliamentarian from Karnataka Nasir Hussain tells ANI that the Congress will move the Supreme Court because the governor cannot interfere in the Speaker’s affairs. “He has no right to do it,” Hussain adds. “Governor is arbitrarily interfering and trying to work as agent of a party.”
10.36 am: G Parameshwara also met the BJP MLAs at the state Assembly, reports ANI. The BJP legislators will hold a meeting with state party chief BS Yeddyurappa before the start of today’s session.
10.35 am: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara tells ANI that the government arranged food and other amenities for Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs who stayed the night at the Vidhana Soudha in protest against the trust vote not being held on Thursday. “Some of them have diabetes and blood pressure, that is why we arranged everything here,” he adds. “Beyond politics we are friends, it is the beauty of democracy.”
10.30 am: Here is Scroll.in’s coverage of the Karnataka crisis on Thursday.