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Updated: Jul 12, 2019 10:58 IST

As the crucial session of the Karnataka assembly begins today, beleaguered Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy exuded confidence saying the state’s Congress-JD(S) coalition was ‘going strong’ despite the resignations of rebel MLAs. The state has been in throes of political upheaval after the resignations on July 6 and the Speaker is expected to take a final call today as per the Supreme Court directive.

“Congress –JD(S) coalition in the state is going strong despite the efforts to destabilize. We are confident and prepared for a smooth and fruitful conduct of legislative sessions,” the Chief Minister tweeted late Thursday night.

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On Supreme Court’s orders Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar met 10 rebel MLAs, whose resignations he had rejected for being in wrong format. The MLAs flew in from Mumbai and flew back later in the night after meeting the Speaker. But he refused to take a final decision on accepting their letters demitting office and said he would study them “all night”.

Earlier in the day after hearing the petition of the rebel MLAs, the apex court asked Kumar to “take a decision forthwith and, in any case, in the course of the remaining part of the day”. It will, however, on Friday hear a petition the Speaker filed asking for more time.

Since Saturday, 16 MLAs from the coalition have put in their papers. If accepted, it will push the ruling alliance into a minority in the 224-member assembly.

The past week has seen frantic efforts by coalition troubleshooters to save the government with Congress’s DK Shivakumar camping 5 hours outside a Mumbai hotel to meet rebels and finally being detained and sent back. The Congress also rushed senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to Bengaluru even as the CM made all ministers resign to send conciliatory signals to the rebels.

Both Congress and JD(S) have asked its lawmakers to be present in assembly today even as the BJP is playing ‘wait and watch’.