BJP Celebrates Kumaraswamy Govt’s Collapse With 'Game of Karma' Taunt, Bruised Cong Blames RSS

Bengaluru: The inevitable came to pass in the Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday evening after Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy lost a crucial trust vote 99-105, bringing the curtains down on the 14-month Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government.

With all eyes on Raj Bhavan for Governor Vajubhai Vala’s next move, celebrations have already broken out in the Karnataka BJP camp with former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and supporters flashing victory signs in the Assembly.

Moments after the government collapsed, the Karnataka BJP tweeted it was a “game of karma", a reference to the way the BS Yeddyurappa government had collapsed days after taking oath last year.

In another tweet, the BJP called it a victory of the people of Karnataka.

The bruised Karnataka Congress hit back, calling it a temporary defeat for "democracy" and blaming the “anti-democratic RSS/BJP" for orchestrating the government’s collapse.

After the defeat in the trust vote, Kumaraswamy submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala, who accepted it with immediate effect but asked him to continue as caretaker chief minister till alternative arrangements are made.

With Tuesday’s dramatic developments, the Karnataka government has fallen twice since Assembly elections in May last year.

The Congress-JDS government had defied the two deadlines set by the Governor to Kumaraswamy to demonstrate his majority on Friday itself.

A wave of resignations had set off the political turbulence in the state, pushing the 14-month old coalition government to the brink of collapse.