H D Kumaraswamy with his deputy G Parameshwara and other JD(S) and Congress leaders waves to the media after his coalition government won the trust vote by voice vote
After the 10-day-long high-voltage political drama, the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka led by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy won the floor test in the state Assembly on Friday.
The Kumaraswamy government won the confidence motion with a voice note in the new Assembly after opposition BJP members led by former CM BS Yeddyurappa walked out of the House minutes ahead of the floor test.
Seeking the trust vote in the assembly, Kumaraswamy today asserted that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government would complete its five-year tenure.
He said he was conscious that he was not running a majority government but promised "a new kind" of coalition government that would become a model for the country.
"You (BJP) may be feeling that this government will go in two or three months, it will not go in two months or one month, but will stay with stability for five years," Kumaraswamy said.
In his speech after moving a motion for the vote of confidence, he said "We will work for the people of the state. We are not here to fulfill our personal wishes...I will work for the all round development of the state without any discrimination.
I promise a new kind of coalition government that is model for this country."
Kumaraswamy said he was not assuming the Chief Minister's post "happily", as he has not got the complete trust of the people.
"I have not become Chief Minister today happily. I have pain. I had placed several issues in front of people during election feeling that they will trust me, but people of the state have not shown trust in me," he said.
I'm not running a majority government, but people have not given majority to any one...they may have given you (BJP) 104, but it is not majority..." Kumaraswamy added.
Thanking the Congress for the support, the Chief Minister, while promising not to misuse their trust in him, said he would work towards ensuring good name for the party, and for a "new type" of political development that will begin in Karnataka ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
People had not given a clear mandate in favour of any party but the BJP believes that the mandate is in its favour.
"I'm still trying to understand what kind of analysis it is," he said.
Promising to continue the popular schemes of Congress government, Kumaraswamy said the government would not only be stable, but would protect the interest of everyone and provide honest and good administration.
Let's end politics here and look at the interest of the people and development of state," he said.
Kumaraswamy moved the one-line motion soon after the unanimous election of senior Congress leader Ramesh Kumar as the speaker of the assembly.
After addressing the members and replying to an emotional speech by opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leader B.S. Yeddyurappa, Kumaraswamy moved the motion, saying "I seek the support of this house to the confidence motion".
Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar then put the motion to vote, which was backed by 116 members, including 36 of the JD-S, 77 of the Congress and one each of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janata Party and an Independent through voice.
Speaker Kumar did not vote.
As the 104 members of the BJP walked out before the floor test, Kumar declared that Kumaraswamy had won the motion by 116 voice votes with none against.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa was recognised as the leader of the opposition in Karnataka Assembly. Speaker Kumar made the announcement shortly after his election as the presiding officer of the House. Govind Karjol would be the deputy opposition leader, Kumar said.
The Congress has 78 MLAs, Kumaraswamy's JD(S) 36, and BSP 1. The alliance has also claimed support of the lone KPJP MLA and an independent. Kumaraswamy had won two seats.
BJP strongman B S Yeddyurappa had stepped down on May 19, two days after he assumed office as the chief minister, without going through the motions of a floor test.
The 224-member Assembly has an effective strength of 221. The election for Jayanagar seat was countermanded following the death of the BJP candidate, and deferred in RR Nagar over allegations of electoral malpractice.
Yeddyurappa warns of state-wide stir if farm loans not waived in 24 hours; Kumaraswamy says he doesn't care
Striking an aggressive note, Yeddyurappa today warned of a state-wide stir if the Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy did not waive farm loans within 24 hours.
Speaking to reporters before Kumaraswamy took the floor test to prove his majority in the assembly, Yeddyurappa said the JD(S) leader had promised to waive farm loans worth Rs 53,000 crore, including those borrowed from nationalised banks.
"It was you who had promised waiving farm loans within 24 hours (after assuming office). The farmers will not be ready to buy your stories that you head a coalition government and it has its own compulsions. You have to announce it in this special session itself. Else, we will prepare an action plan to launch our agitation across the state," he said.
Reacting on the same, Kumaraswamy said that he does not care about the threat by the BJP, adding that he will all the promises that he made to the people of Karnataka.
"The real action will start now, whatever promises I have made to the citizens of Karnataka, I am going to fulfill them. I am not going to care about this threat (BJP to call state-wide bandh on May 28 on the issue of farmers' loans waiver)," Kumarasamy said after winning the trust vote.
Yeddyurappa said he would not comment on the Congress as it is already out to "finish" the JD(S).
However, he said, the BJP's struggle was mainly against the "anti-farmer, anti-people and corrupt government of
Kumaraswamy."
To support his claim that the Kumaraswamy government would be corrupt, he quoted JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal's recent reported remark that no work happens without "suitcase" in the party.
"Corruption during the JD(S) government will only continue and nobody will bother to protect the interests of
people," the BJP leader said.
"Irrigation will not get priority. Under these circumstances, it is my duty as an opposition to continue our struggle to protect the interests of people," said Yeddyurappa, who had stepped down as chief minister two days after assuming office, without taking the floor test, on May 17.
(With inputs from agencies)
