Karnataka: As Kumaraswamy's government falls, Shivraj Singh Chauhan says 'Madhya Pradesh maybe next because of Congress infighting'

After the long pending floor test was conducted and the Congress JD(S) coalition government fell in Karnataka after 426 days of rule, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that BJP won't do anything to make the govt fall in Madhya Pradesh but Congress infighting may result to it. 

With the numbers being 105 for the BJP and 99 for the coalition of JD(S) and Congress, the Karnataka government of CM HD Kumaraswamy fell July 23, at around 19:30 hours. HD Kumaraswamy spoke in the Vidhan Soudha minutes before the trust vote. Even as Kumaraswamy continued with his monologue in the assembly, sometimes citing that he is not power-hungry and on other times blaming media for wrongly highlighting the developments in the state, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Alok Kumar imposed Section 144.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan had earlier said that if Madhya Pradesh Congress government falls due to infighting, then BJP will not be responsible. “Now, if the Congress (government) falls due to infighting in the party, then we cannot do anything. We are not dislodging anyone, but whatever is going on there (in MP) is not good,” he told PTI in an interview.

A day earlier, the BJP sat at the Vidhan Soudha on Monday demanding that they would not move out until the trust vote is conducted, the Karnataka CM held a letter saying that a fake letter is doing rounds. Earlier, Sources told the Republic Media Network that letters are doing rounds of his resignation but official sources from the Chief Minister's office did not respond to the speculations.

The blame game upon the BJP and charges of horse trading has begun. However, NC leader Omar Abdullah said that it was not the death of democracy and that the coalition govt was opportunistic. With Kumaraswamyhaving submitted his resignation in the Raj Bhavan (at the time of writing), the search for the new government by the Governor Vajubhai Vala will begin soon. 

Karnataka crisis: How it developed

• In a last-ditch attempt,  HD Kumaraswamy on Monday sought an appointment with Governor Vajubhai Vala's office at 6:30 PM, as per sources. However, the Speaker K R Ramesh has refused to entertain the CM's request for time till Wednesday. He denied permission in the morning as well. HDK has said more discussion required on the floor of the house.
   
• This development follows after 2-3 Congress MLAs and the lone BSP MLA were not present on the Vidhan Soudha on Monday. Apart from this, 2 Congress MLAs have not been present since day 1. Earlier in the day, on the Assembly floor, while Kumaraswamy tried to buy more time by saying that he will prove majority by Wednesday, the Speaker reminded the government's commitment to conclude the trust vote process on Monday.
   
• Previously on Sunday, both Congress and BJP held legistaure party meetings at 5-star hotels in Bengaluru ahead of the looming trust vote. On Sunday, two Independent MLAs Shankar and Nagesh have approached the Supreme Court about the breakdown of Constitution and democracy in Karnataka - where a CM despite not having a majority in the house is stalling a trust vote by dubious tactics. 
   
• Meanwhile, BSP Supremo Mayawati had directed Karnataka BSP MLA N Mahesh to vote in favour of the state CM H D Kumaraswamy's government. Incidentally, Mahesh was among the 20 members who had missed the Karnataka Assembly session on Thursday and Friday apart from the 15 rebels MLAs, two independent MLAs, and Congress MLAs Srimant Patil and B Nagendra.
   
• On July 19, the drama of the assembly was put on hold till Monday, with the Assembly being adjourned by the Speaker after failing to meet the governor's deadline at 6 PM to conduct trust vote that would decide the fate of HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government.  BJP Karnataka chief BS Yeddyurappa, on Friday, had said that the current coalition JD(S)-Congress government has time till Monday to prove its majority saying that BJP had the numbers while Kumarswamy did not.

How the numbers looked before trust vote:

BJP - 105 MLAs

Congress-JD(S) MLAs - 100 including Ramalinga Reddy 

Speaker- 1

Rebels MLAs- 15

Independent- 2

BSP MLA - 1