Karnataka Live: Congress’ Ramesh Kumar elected Speaker, floor test soon

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Friday’s floor test comes less than a week after the Supreme Court-ordered trust vote was pre-empted by BS Yeddyurappa resigning as chief minister given that the BJP lacked the required numbers to win the vote.

Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy will face a floor test today which he is widely expected to win, ending the 10-day political uncertainty in the state.

The 58-year-old, who was sworn in on Wednesday, has the support of 118 MLAs from the JD(S)-Congress-BSP coalition in the House.

While the Congress has 78 MLAs, Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal (Secular) has 37, and Bahujan Samaj Party has one. The alliance has claims its has the support of the lone KPJP MLA and an independent. Kumaraswamy himself holds two seats having won from two constituencies.

BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa, who was sworn in as the chief minister on May 17, resigned two days later just ahead of a floor test as the national party has 114 MLAs.

The 224-member Assembly has an effective strength of 221, as election for Jayanagar seat was countermanded following the death of the BJP candidate, and deferred in RR Nagar over allegations of electoral malpractices.

Friday will also see the race for Speaker play out as both a BJP and Congress candidate have submitted nominations for the post.

Follow live updates here:

1:04pm: Speaker Ramesh Kumar invites MLAs to keep their speeches brief so they may move ahead with the day’s business.

12:55pm: Siddaramaiah lays out the difficulties the Speaker will likely face during his tenure, expressing confidence in Ramesh Kumar’s abilities to handle the position.

12:53pm: Siddaramaiah says Ramesh Kumar brings with him rich experience to the post of Speaker.

12:47pm: Congress leader Siddaramaiah recounts Ramesh Kumar’s first tenure as Speaker.

12:45pm: Deputy CM Parameshwara congratulates Ramesh Kumar on his appointment.

12:39pm: BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa says the party’s candidate, Suresh Kumar, withdrew his nomination for Speaker to uphold the position, so there may be a unanimous choice. “The Speaker’s post belongs to no party,” says the former CM. Fellow party MLAs thump their desks in approval.

12:39pm: Kumaraswamy congratulates Ramesh Kumar on his appointment

12:38pm: The chief minister says he is counting on Ramesh Kumar’s experience to handle the proceedings of the House.

12:37pm: Ramesh Kumar was the Speaker when my father (HD Gowda) was chief minister, says Kumaraswamy.

12:36pm: Kumaraswamy says there were doubts over Ramesh Kumar holding the Speaker position given his young age. However, Kumar brought dignity to the office in his first stint in the 90s.

12:35pm: CM Kumaraswamy addresses assembly.

12:28pm: Congress’ Ramesh Kumar elected as Speaker of Karnataka Assembly: ANI.

12:24pm: Senior BJP leader Suresh Kumar withdraws nomination for the Karnataka assembly Speaker’s post, reports PTI.

12:21pm: Assembly session convenes.

12:20pm: Congress leader and former CM Siddaramaiah, and BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa are present at the meeting.

11:53am: Congress Legislative Party meeting underway in Vidhana Soudha.

11am: Congress MLAs reach Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru ahead of floor test and election of assembly speaker.

9:30am: Chief minister Kumaraswamy is confident of winning the floor test. “I have no tension, I am going to win clearly,” he tells ANI.

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