Curtain falls on Kumaraswamy govt as JDS-Congress coalition loses trust vote in Karnataka
It is farewell time for the Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka. The Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy collapsed on Tuesday night after losing a vote of confidence in the assembly. This has paved way for the BJP's return to power in the southern state. After losing the trust vote which missed a couple of deadlines, Kumaraswamy, 59, went to Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala. The resignation was accepted with immediate effect but Kumaraswamy was asked to continue as caretaker chief minister till alternative arrangements are made.
The BJP dubbed the fall of the government as a "Game of Karma".
Kumaraswamy govt falls but nataka in Karnataka to continue: 10 Points
1. Bringing to end a three-week long high-voltage intense power struggle triggered by a raft of resignations by rebel lawmakers that made the survival of the government difficult, the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy was defeated with 99 members voting for the motion and 105 against it in a House of 225 including Speaker P R Ramesh Kumar and a nominated member.
2. As many as 20 MLAs-- Congress-JDS (17), BSP (1), Independents (2)-- skipped the proceedings, reducing the effective strength of the House to 205. The magic figure for Kumaraswamy to win the trust vote required was 103.
3. Flashing the victory sign after the voting, BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa, who is hoping to become the chief minister for the fourth time, described the outcome as a "victory for democracy" as people were fed up with the Kumaraswamy government.
4. After the Assembly polls last year, Yeddyurappa resigned without facing the trust vote since he did not have the numbers on his side with the BJP, which bagged 104 seats, falling short of majority by 9 seats.
5. With rebellion exploding in its face, the coalition government was hanging by a thread for the last three weeks with the Supreme Court verdict that rebel law makers ought not to be compelled to attend the session tipping the scales in favour of the BJP.
6. Outwitted in the numbers game and defeat staring in his face with the rebel MLAs in no mood to step back from their position not to attend the assembly session, Kumaraswamy gave indications of quitting in the initial remarks while winding up the debate on the confidence motion.
7. Only three chief ministers -- all from the Congress -- have been able to complete their full five-year term in the history of Karnataka - Nijalingappa (1962-68), D Devaraja Urs (1972-77) and Siddaramaiah (2013-2018).
8. With this power loss in Karnataka, the Congress lost power in another state with the party now left with governments in just four states and a Union territory. Karnataka was crucial for the party as it was the only southern state in which the Congress was in power.
9. The Congress now has governments in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry. The BJP on the other hand is in power in 16 states in the country.
10. Kumaraswamy's first stint as chief minister in the BJP-led coalition government lasted less than two years from February 2006 to October 2007. He had disagreement over power sharing with the BJP and refused to support the saffron party-led government in the state. His second term as chief minister in the Congress-JD(S) government began in May 2018 after a hung verdict in the Assembly election.
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