Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar today made lacerating comments on seeing near empty treasury benches in the house, where he has set a 6 pm deadline to hold a test of strength after 16 lawmakers of the Congress-Janata Dal Secular coalition resigned and two independents withdrew support. “Should this be the fate of the Speaker or the assembly?” Mr Kumar demanded. “You will lose credibility, leave alone strength,” he said. Thirteen rebel lawmakers of the teetering Congress-JDS coalition have also written to the Speaker asking for four weeks’ time to meet him over a disqualification notice against them. The Supreme Court said if the floor test is not held today, it hear the plea of two independent lawmakers who decided to support the BJP, tomorrow.
