Bangalore:
And he's through.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa won today's trust vote - the second in four days - with 106 votes in favour of the BJP, and 100 against. After the vote, the Chief Minister flashed the victory sign.
Today's proceedings, unlike the first trust vote on Monday, were dignified and calm. There was no cross-voting.
"All efforts to destabilize the government have been completely demolished," said Rajiv Pratap Rudy of the BJP.
But it isn't over yet.
On Monday, the Karnataka High Court will decide whether 16 MLAs were correctly banned by the Speaker of the House from participating in the trust vote. Without them, the numbers in the Karnataka Assembly tilted in the BJP's favour.
(Read: Court to decide on 16 disqualified MLAs)The Speaker disqualified this group -11 MLAs from the BJP and five independents - after they withdrew their support to the government.
So on Monday, they couldn't participate in Yeddyurappa's first trust vote, conducted in complete dissonance. MLAs were shouting at each other, some attacked security guards and hours later, the Governor of the State said the vote had been a farce and recommended President's Rule. 24 hours later, he changed his mind and said he was offering the Chief Minister a chance to prove his strength "according to democratic practices." And the date was then set for today.
(Read: Governor asks Yeddyurappa to face 2nd trust vote)When asked why he u-turned from his President's Rule recommendation, Governor HR Bhardwaj said it was an act of "charity and kindness." That language was just one of the reasons that led to the BJP reasserting that Bhardwaj, who served as the Union Law Minister, is highly partisan. On Wednesday, senior BJP leaders led by LK Advani met the Prime Minister to formally ask for Bhardwaj to be recalled.
(Read: Sack Governor, says angry BJP at PM meeting) While today's victory bolsters the BJP's claim - that it's the Congress and the Governor who are manufacturing a political crisis when there is none in Karnataka - the final survival of Yeddyurappa's government will depend on what the court decides on Monday. It rejected an appeal filed yesterday by the five independent MLAs to be allowed to vote today. On Monday, if it rules in their favour and decides the Speaker was wrong to have disqualified them, the government may have to go through a third test of majority.
The drama in Karnataka was originally believed to have been scripted by HD Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister and leader of the JD(S). After nudging 16 MLAs to revolt, he watched them closely as they flew from Bangalore to Chennai to Kochi to Bombay and then to Goa. BJP leaders flew to their five-star resort in Goa to negotiate with them and were irked to find Kumaraswamy present.
The other major Opposition party - the Congress - moved 50 of its MLAs to a luxury resort in Lonavala to ensure they did not switch sides ahead of the first trust vote on Monday.
What happens after Monday's High Court verdict?
- The High Court decides whether 11 BJP & five Independent MLAs stand disqualified.
- If the disqualified MLAs win, will there be another trust vote?
- Will feuding Bharadwaj-Yeddyurappa agree on another trust vote?
- If the disqualified dissidents win, BJP government may appeal in Supreme Court which could delay the vote.