BENGALURU: Marked by high drama, the Karnataka assembly was adjourned till Friday after it took up the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to decide the fate of the Congress-JDS government wracked by rebellion by a section of its MLAs threatening its survival.

Meanwhile, Speaker Ramesh Kumar has announced that the assembly will have its next meeting at 11 am on Friday. However, Congress leadership has stated that it would approach the Supreme Court tomorrow seeking clarification regarding issuing whip so that the voting will be postponed.

The drama unfolded right from the beginning of the session, facing truncated strength caused by the simultaneous resignation of 16 ruling coalition MLAs, Kumaraswamy moved a one-line motion, saying the House expressed confidence in the 14-month old ministry headed by him.

Twenty lawmakers did not turn up Thursday, including 17 from the ruling coalition, 12 of whom are corralled in a hotel in Mumbai, as the House debated in a surcharged atmosphere.

The House that barely focussed on the debate on the motion saw three adjournments, acrimony and repeated disruptions by belligerent slogan-shouting Congress members before the proceedings were wound up for the day.

Before it was adjourned, BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa declared his party members would stay put in the House itself overnight and even till the time the trust vote was decided.