Karnataka coalition crisis: Governor pushes deadline to prove majority to 6pm

Bengaluru: As Karnataka Assembly on Friday failed to meet the 1:30 pm deadline set for chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to prove his majority in the House, the Governor Vajubhai Vala issued a fresh deadline. The chief minister can now prove his majority by 6 pm today.

When the deadline ended, BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa stood up and pressed for division on the vote of confidence moved by the chief minister.

The Speaker said there was a process to be followed and the motion would be put to vote, if pressed for, according to rules after discussion.

Amid commotion, the House was then adjourned till 3 pm.

Within hours of the Speaker adjourning the day's proceedings in the Assembly, the Governor had on Thursday shot off a letter to the chief minister setting the deadline for 1:30 pm.

The Governor had observed that resignation of 15 MLAs of the ruling JDS-Congress and withdrawal of support by two independents "prima facie" indicated Kumaraswamy had lost confidence of the House.

Meanwhile, the Congress raised the issue of ongoing political crisis in Karnataka in Lok Sabha, saying independence of legislature is under threat and democracy is being killed.

Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the BJP is conspiring to bring down governments in states where opposition parties are in power.

He said what is happening in Karnataka is a threat to the independence of the legislature and democracy is being killed in the state.    

• Karnataka coalition crisis
• Governor
• majority
• Karnataka Assembly