Cabinet meet decides to fight political crisis

Members of the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday resolved to do "everything possible" to save the government in the face of a political crisis that has seen 16 legislators of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition tender resignation and the two Independents withdrawing support.

The ongoing crisis was discussed at length at the Cabinet meeting. "The government is in a precarious position. The reasons and remedies were discussed. The BJP, using the Centre, has been continuously assaulting us. This is the seventh assault and the situation is much more serious now. We have decided to stand united and strong to face the situation," Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) minister Krishna Byre Gowda said, briefing reporters.

Besides convincing the rebel MLAs, the Cabinet discussed other ways to do everything possible to save the government, Gowda said. During the discussion, fears that more MLAs could tender resignation were allayed by Kumaraswamy and his deputy G Parameshwara, it is learnt.

Gowda dared the BJP to move a no-confidence motion against the government when the legislature meets for the monsoon session on July 12. "If the Opposition is in a hurry, we’re ready to face a trust vote," he said. "We are also ready for a division of votes when the Finance Bill is tabled. The Opposition has its privileges, which we can’t take away."

All ministers, except Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, have tendered resignation to the state presidents of the Congress and the JD(S) to allow the coalition leadership to lure back rebel MLAs by offering them Cabinet positions.