Even two days on from the defeat of HD Kumaraswamy’s government in a confidence vote in the Karnataka Assembly, the BJP had still not staked its claim to form a government, with the state unit waiting for clearance from the party’s central leadership.

How the coalition fell

The 14-month-old Congress-JD(S) government was defeated on Tuesday after a three-week power struggle full of twists and a legal battle that followed the resignations of 15 rebel MLAs. Kumaraswamy’s motion won 99 votes against 105 for the BJP, as a large group of the coalition’s own legislators stayed away.

BJP in no hurry

State BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, the probable chief ministerial choice, said after meeting RSS leaders at their state headquarters, Keshava Krupa, that he was waiting for instructions from Delhi and could convene a legislature party meeting and go to Raj Bhavan at any time. Senior BJP MLA JC Madhuswamy said national president Amit Shah first had to direct them to hold a meeting with an observer to elect a leader, after which an appointment with the Governor would be sought.

Party sources said the leadership wanted the Speaker to rule on the rebels’ resignations and the disqualification pleas first. A senior leader, speaking anonymously, said this might be to avoid embarrassment later.

The Speaker’s position

The 15 rebels, whose resignations had not been accepted, asked for a month to appear before Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on the disqualification plea. Kumar said proceedings were continuing, that he had heard the MLAs’ lawyers, and that he would decide according to the law: “Nothing but Constitution and law.”

The Congress and the JD(S) want the rebels disqualified under the anti-defection law, which sets no deadline for the Speaker. A disqualified member loses the seat and cannot become a minister in the new government, though he or she may be re-elected. Last Wednesday, a bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi left it to the Speaker to decide on the resignations within whatever time he considered appropriate.

Kumaraswamy, son of JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda, remained non-committal on the future of the alliance, saying the two parties had not yet discussed it.

What happened next

After the Kumaraswamy government fell in July 2019, Yeddyurappa returned as Chief Minister.

See also: Janata Dal (Secular) | State assembly members

Originally published on 25 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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