The government of Karnataka led by the unfastened Congress-Janta Dal (S) coalition is set to fall, if the resignation of 13 of their MLAs is accepted, according to media reports. If the resignations go through, the majority backing of 7 MLAs will effectively be wiped out, bringing the coalitions numbers just 1 above the Bhartiya Janta Party's (BJP), at 106 MLAs.
The sole independent MLA in the Assembly, who backed Congress-JD(S) coalition till date, has now decided to back the BJP.
The Speaker of the Assembly, K.R. Ramesh Kumar, is yet to accept the resignations.
However, if the resignations are accepted, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy will have to resign on his own accord or the government will have to fail a floor test in the Legislative Assembly for the government to be rendered ousted.
BOOM covers all the things you need to know about the ongoing Karnataka crisis.
Who all are set to resign? The resignation slew began about a week ago on July 1, with two Congress MLAs, Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarakiholi, tendering their resignation. This was in response to existing unrest between the coalition partners JD(S) and Congress, the leadership void in the Congress at the Centre and the poor performance of the Lok Sabha elections by the JD(S) and the Congress.
Following this, on July 6, 8 additional Congress MLAs and the 3 JD(S) MLAs have offered resignations. Senior Congress leader and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar reportedly tore the resignation letters of the MLAs in the Speaker's office.
Indpenedent MLA H. Nagesh, who was inducted as a Minister last month, resigned in a letter to the Governor, as well as declared his support to the BJP.
However, it has been reported by news outlets that the Speaker is yet to accept the resignation by the MLAs.
How will the Karanataka Assembly numbers change? Out of a required majority of 113 of 225 representatives, the Congress and JD(S) combine had 120 MLAs, including one the MLA each of the BSP, the Karnataka Pragyavantha Janata Party (KPJP), the independent H. Nagesh and one nominated MLA Vinisha Nero. This added to a majority of 7 for the government.
Following the resignation of 13 MLAs and the turnaround by H. Nagesh, the ruling combine will be at 106, including of Nero, the BSP MLA, and that of the KPJP. It will only have one MLA more than the BJP, which is at 105, with the BJP plus Nagesh being at 106.
How can the government fall and what then? The Karnataka government has two options before it.
CM HD Kumaraswamy could resign suo moto upon realizing that he does not have the numbers. Secondly, the Governor of the state, Vijubhai Vala, could ask the government to prove its majority on the floor of the assembly in a potential trust vote.
However, should the government fall, how will the BJP garner the MLAs to form an alternative government is still unclear.
This is a developing story and will be updated upon relevant developments.
