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No govt in Karnataka yet, BJP leaders meet Amit Shah in Delhi; state may have President’s rule

Amit Shah has asked them to meet again at 3 pm to have a further discussion after which the final decision will be taken in the Parliamentary Board meeting.

No govt in Karnataka yet, BJP leaders meet Amit Shah in Delhi; state may have President’s rule

BJP legislators in Karnataka Assembly after Trust Vote on July 23. (Photo: Twitter | @BJP4Karnataka)

With no government in the state even after two days of winning the trust vote, senior BJP leaders from Karnataka met Home Minister Amit Shah and party working president JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday.

The Congress-JD(S) government had lost the trust vote on July 23.

BJP leaders Jagadish Shettar, Basavraj Bommai, Arvind Limbavali and others reached Delhi early in the day.

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Talking to ANI, Jagadish Shettar said the delegation discussed the current political scenario in Karnataka, the formation of the BJP government in the state and steps to be taken regarding the matter.

Amit Shah has asked them to meet again at 3 pm to have a further discussion after which the final decision will be taken in the Parliamentary Board meeting.

Karnataka BJP leader JC Madhuswamy expressed confidence that the rebel MLAs will stand with them as the legislators’ requests were not granted by the coalition government for 14 months.

After the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka collapsed on Tuesday, BJP state President BS Yeddyurappa is set to be elected as its legislative party leader and will stake claim to form the government soon.

After a long tug of war between the coalition government and the BJP, which also reached the Supreme court, the Karnataka government fell on Tuesday after a trust vote to prove its majority.

The debate on the trust vote extended over days as the government missed two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday.

The defeat was almost certain as 15 rebel legislators, including 12 from the Congress and 3 JD(S), resigned from the house, and two Independents withdrew support. They also refused to withdraw their resignations or attend the session for voting in its favour during the floor test.

With 15 rebel legislators of the Congress-JD (Secular) resigning from their Assembly segments across the state, the effective strength of the 225-member House has reduced to 210, with 106 as the new halfway mark for a simple majority.

The BJP now has 107 members, including the support of two Independents.

The Karnataka BJP has termed it as a “victory of democracy”.

Meanwhile, there are reports that the state may have a spell of President’s rule till its Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar decides on the resignations of the 15 rebel legislators of the Congress and JD(S), as the BJP is not in a hurry to stake claim to form a government amid uncertainty.

“If the Speaker takes longer time to accept or reject the resignations of the rebels, the Governor (Vajubhai Vala) may recommend President’s rule in the state, as we will not like to stake claim to power in such a situation,” BJP’s state spokesman G Madhusudan told IANS.

The party is also unclear about the Speaker’s decision on the disqualification the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) have recommended applying on the rebels for defying their whip.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the two Karnataka independent MLAs to withdraw their petition after HD Kumaraswamy lost the trust vote in the Assembly and tendered his resignation.

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