Kumaraswamy govt faces crucial trust motion, vote unlikely today

n air of uncertainty hangs over the session in the backdrop of the top court's interim order. (PTI)

The beleaguered Janata Dal (S) -Congress coalition government, led by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, will face its trust vote in the State Assembly on Thursday, a day after the Supreme Court said that the rebel MLAs did not attend the meeting.

The state has been simmering since July 7 when 16 MLAs - 13 from the Congress and three from JD (S) - resigned, pushing the Congress-JD (S) coalition government to the brink of collapse. This was followed by many twists and turns with rebel MLAs holed up in Mumbai and Speaker K.Ramesh Kumar 'deliberating' on their resignations. The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the Speaker may be forced to take early decision nor the rebel MLAs be forced to attend the session.

An air of uncertainty hangs over the session in the backdrop of the top court's interim order. The discussion on the vote of confidence is scheduled to start around 11 am in the Assembly.

Kumaraswamy on Wednesday issued a whip to all 37 MLAs of JD (S) including three rebel legislators Narayana Gowda, Gopalaiah and H. Vishwanath to be present in the assembly.

Kumaraswamy has warned that if MLAs do not attend the House and if they vote against the party whip even after attending the session on the day of trust voting, action will be initiated under the rule of Anti-Defection Law and that MLA will be disqualified from his post

Kumaraswamy had asked for permission from Speaker K. Ramesh Kumar for the ongoing session of the Assembly.

The State Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113.

Meanwhile, Senior Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy, who was among the dissident legislators, on Wednesday confirmed that he will remain in the party and vote in favor of the State Assembly in the Karnataka coalition government.

Reddy, who along with nine Congress-JD (S) MLAs resigned on July 6, had said that he tendered his resignation due to party's internal matters.

Also, after many failed attempts JD (S) leader Syed Shahid on Thursday managed to enter the Mumbai hotel where the rebel MLAs are holed up and held talks with them