Bangalore: In the wake of HD Kumaraswamy deciding to seek a trust vote, Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar said Friday a slot would be allotted whenever the Karnataka Chief Minister opted for it.
“The Chief Minister has spoken his mind that he would not cling to power amid the confusion. He said he will seek the trust of the House,” the Speaker told reporters here.
“Whenever he tells me that he wants to move the trust motion, the very next day I will put it in the business of the day,” Kumar added.
Embattled Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy sought Friday time from the Ramesh Kumar to move the trust vote in the House in the wake of resignation by 16 MLAs – 13 from the Congress and three from Janata Dal (Secular). Also, two independent MLAs withdrew their support to the HD Kumaraswamy –led government and aligned with the BJP.
To a question on the justification behind the Chief Minister seeking trust vote while paying condolences, the Ramesh Kumar said the question should be put to HD Kumaraswamy.
“I feel that it can be heard because he had said that he will not cling to power in the current situation. I cannot say that I will hear it today itself. He has only informed me that on a certain day he will seek the trust vote. My job will be to include it in the list of business of the day,” Ramesh Kumar informed.
Ramesh Kumar was supposed to start Friday the hearing on the resignation of three MLAs, Anand Singh, Prathap Gouda Patil and Narayana Gowda. However, two of them approached the Supreme Court, which directed the speaker to maintain ‘status quo’.
Asked whether he would still start proceedings on the resignation by three MLAs, Ramesh Kumar said, “I will start the process if they come. If they don’t come I will sleep at home. That’s it.”
The resignations have pushed the Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy in Karnataka to the brink.
PTI