Coalition govt is history as floor test farce ends

Bengaluru, DHNS: The 14-month-old Congress-JD(S) coalition government finally met its end on Tuesday, drawing the curtains on a prolonged episode of political drama. But a new one may begin with the BJP all set to stake claim to power.

“This is the victory of democracy. People were fed up with the Kumaraswamy government. I want to assure people that a new era of development will start now,” BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, set to be the next chief minister, told reporters after the trust motion was defeated.

The saffron party is expected to formally approach Governor Vajubhai R Vala seeking to install its government after it receives a direction from its parliamentary board.

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Till Tuesday afternoon, Kumaraswamy was “still trying” to save his government by somehow mustering up the numbers to prove his majority. He fell short by six as the coalition had 99 members supporting the motion against the BJP that had 105 against it.

Kumaraswamy, who resigned, has been asked by the Governor to continue as the caretaker chief minister until alternative arrangements are made, in which time he cannot take executive decisions.

The confidence motion was moved on July 12 and got dragged ever since. “I want to apologise to the people of the state. We have taken time maybe for selfish reasons. But there was some hope that people will realise their mistakes,” Kumaraswamy said in the Assembly, referring to the 15 rebel MLAs who caused the crisis.

Kumaraswamy did not attend the first half of the session on Tuesday, spending time at a hotel where he said he was preparing. “I was still trying to see if I can win the motion. Many MLAs have shed tears before me, pleading that the government should be saved.”

The outgoing chief minister was advised by an astrologer that he would not lose power on Tuesday. “But I go by intuition,” he said, disproving popular belief that he would not put the motion to vote and resign instead. The motion was put to a voice vote at 7.19 pm, followed by a division of votes whose result was announced at 7.39 pm.

“My government is not irresponsible,” Kumaraswamy told Yeddyurappa. “The last one year has been a struggle to take officers into confidence in this difficult, hostile atmosphere. Whatever little I have managed to achieve is because of our officers,” he said, pointing to Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar and Additional Chief Secretary (finance) I S N Prasad.

In a parting shot, Kumaraswamy defended his father H D Deve Gowda while hitting out at social and electronic media. “Don’t take him lightly. Win or loss, he has grown up amid people. If I am standing healthily today, it is because of the good deeds of my parents.”