Kumaraswamy govt wins trust vote as BJP walks out
FOR THE PEOPLE Says he is pained that people did not place their trust on him, assures stable govt for five years
The three-day old JD(S)-Congress coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy in Karnataka won a floor test in the assembly on Friday amid a walkout by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP).
The motion expressing confidence in the Kumaraswamy government was backed by 116 members, including 36 of the Janata Dal (Secular), 77 of the Congress and one each of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janata Party and an Independent through voice vote.
Speaker Kumar did not vote. The BJP members staged a walkout before the trust vote was taken.
Prior to the floor test, Congress MLA KR Ramesh Kumar was unanimously elected as the speaker after BJP legislator S Suresh Kumar, who had also submitted his nomination for the post, withdrew. BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said the withdrawal was to “maintain the dignity of the speaker’s post”.
Before the walkout, Yeddyurappa termed the Congress-JD(S) coalition a sinking ship that would not be able to fulfil its poll promises. The BJP leader also reiterated that the party would
BENGALURU:
launch a statewide stir if the ruling alliance did not waive farmer loans within 24 hours.
In his speech, Kumaraswamy said his government would carry all sections together, and would take into consideration suggestions made by the Opposition. He also said he was conscious that he was not running a majority government.
“I am also pained that the people have not placed their trust on me,” he said as he moved the motion seeking the vote of confidence, apparently referring to his party JD(S) not being given a clear mandate by the voters. “We will be stable for five years. We will work for the people. We are not here to fulfil our personal interests,” he said.
He also criticised the BJP over its role in events that followed the declaration of assembly elections results on May 15.
In the 224-member House where 112 is a simple majority, the BJP is the single largest party with 104 MLAs. Elections were been countermanded in two seats.
Kumaraswamy took oath as chief minister on Wednesday with a galaxy of leaders of nonBJP parties in attendance, barely four days after Yeddyurappa, who was sworn-in as chief minister last week, opted to resign as the BJP was short of the simple majority.