K’taka Crisis | Speaker sets 6pm deadline for floor test

The much-awaited trust vote in the Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha is likely to be held today. The HD Kumaraswamy-led government will have to prove the majority in the House.

HD Kumaraswamy appealed disgruntled lawmakers to return and support the Congress-JD(S) coalition. The crumbling government has so far got the support of lone BSP MLA N Mahesh.

After refusing to delay it, Speaker KR Ramesh has set a 6 pm deadline for the floor test. It means the Congress-JD(S) coalition has only four and a half hours. The disgruntled MLAs have refused to return and attend the Assembly proceedings.

If he fails, the Congress-JD(S) coalition will fall. He is facing an uphill task since the disgruntled coalition MLAs are not ready to return from Mumbai and attend the Assembly proceedings. While on the other side, BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa is confident of forming the government.

After the Speaker KR Ramesh adjourned the House till Monday, Yeddyurappa stated that Monday will be the last days for the coalition government.

The resignation of 16 MLAs — 13 Congress and three JD(S) has threatened the survival of the government. If their resignation is accepted, the BJP will get sufficient numbers to form the government while the coalition will plummet to 101.