Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Leaders of the Congress and the JD(S) which have forged a coalition in Karnataka like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and K C Venugopal cancelled their Monday visit to Mumbai to appease the rebel MLAs staying in a hotel there. It is said that they had to cancel this visit after coming to know that the rebel legislators have told the police at Mumbai that they do not want to meet any leader from Karnataka and Maharashtra including Mallikarjun Kharge and Ghulam Nabi Azad. They also have reportedly said they are facing threats and hence it would not be possible to meet the leaders.

On Monday, it is said, lot of heated discussions happened at the proceedings committee meeting presided over by assembly speaker, K R Ramesh Kumar. The coalition leaders asked for allowing the assembly session to be held till Thursday while the BJP opposed it. BJP leaders reportedly said that they would not allow the session to continue as the chief minister has lost confidence of the house. Finally, BJP relented and allowed the trust vote to be sought on Thursday with the rider that till July 18 no proceedings will happen in the assembly.

At the same time, the hearing into the petitions filed by 10 disgruntled leaders of the coalition partners has been posted for hearing on Tuesday. The Supreme Court has also agreed to consider five more petitions filed by legislators Roshan Baig, Anand Singh, M T B Nagaraj, Dr K Sudhakar and Muniratna on Saturday along with ten others already filed. These legislators have complained that he speaker has not been accepting the resignations filed by them and that they are being threatened with disqualification. They said they have every right to resign out of their own volition but the speaker has been making efforts to snatch away their rights.

Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, said that the speaker has permitted him to seek trust vote at 11 am on Thursday and added that he is confident of winning it. BJP state president Yeddyurappa, said that Kumaraswamy cannot prove majority support and promised that the BJP will form alternative government that will provide good governance.

Veteran Congress leader, Ramalinga Reddy and Anand Singh, who were to appear in the presence of the assembly speaker on Monday relating to resignations submitted by them to their posts, did not come. While Ramalinga Reddy cited ill health, Anand Singh it is said, had not given any reason for his absence.