K'taka crisis: HK Patil says confident of clearing floor test

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader HK Patil on Sunday said that he is confident that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government will clear the floor test scheduled to be held on Monday.

“We have moved a motion of vote of confidence. We are confident that we will win the vote of confidence as we believe rebel MLAs will come back,” HK Patil was quoted speaking to ANI.

The fate of the fragile H D Kumaraswamy led Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka is likely to be decided on the floor of the assembly on Monday after it defied on July 19 the two deadlines set by Governor Vajubhai Vala to prove majority after the ministry was wracked by a raft of resignations by rebel MLAs.

Amid reports that the government was still trying to prolong the discussion on the confidence motion moved by the Chief Minister on Thursday, hoping for some kind of relief from the Supreme Court, the ruling coalition was making last ditch efforts to win back unrelenting rebel lawmakers.

Kumaraswamy and the Congress had also moved the Supreme Court on Friday, accusing the Governor of interfering with the Assembly proceedings when the debate on the trust vote was underway and sought clarification on its July 17 order, which they said,caused hindrance in issuing whip to the legislators.