The Supreme Court today said that the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly is free to decide on the resignation of 12 Congress and 3 JDS MLAs. The verdict added that they can't be compelled to attend tomorrow's Assembly session when there will be a floor test to determine the majority.

Dinesh Gundu Rao, President, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, has condemned the verdict. "The SC verdict is now encroaching upon the rights of the Legislature. This is a bad judgement which seems to protect the defectors and encourages horse-trading and also violating the doctrine of separation of powers," he said.

The rebel MLAs, who are in Mumbai, have made it clear that they will not go to the Assembly.

The coalition government is expected to mostly fall. Should the BJP then form the government with "the support of the blackmailing, resort-hopping MLAs"? Says psephologist Praveen Patil, "It would be best to seek a fresh mandate from people in order to maintain BJP's pole position in public opinion of Karnataka."