BENGALURU: The Congress-JD(S) coalition received its first jolt on Tuesday with two independent MLAs withdrawing support to the Kumaraswamy-led government.
The desertions do not threaten the government’s survival as it still commands the support of 117 MLAs in the House of 224. Coming against the backdrop of
BJP’s efforts to bring down the ruling coalition, the development pushed the Congress and JD (S) into a long huddle.
R Shankar from Ranebennur and H Nagesh from Mulbagal are expected to meet governor Vajubhai R Vala on Wednesday and submit letters withdrawing support to the government. Copies of the letters were released to the media on Tuesday. At least five Congress legislators are likely to switch loyalties to the BJP in the coming days, sources claimed.
Kumaraswamy was a portrait of nonchalance as he spent most of Sankranti at home, before stepping out to meet Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and watch his actor-son Nikhil’s Kannada movie ‘Kurukshetra’.
Independents — unrestrained by party loyalty or the risk of losing their seats for switching camps — are good at spotting opportunities. But leaders of the coalition dismissed the suggestion that the twin desertions could foreshadow a bigger movement. They dismissed speculation about threat to the Kumaraswamy government as mere brouhaha which would die down in a day or two as the BJP lacked the numbers to topple the government.
Significantly, it was not clear the exertions of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to occupy the treasury benches enjoyed the support of party president
Amit Shah. In fact, sources claimed Shah was unlikely to back the state leadership’s machinations unless it came up with the requisite number to form the government.
For that, the BJP will have to get 14 Congress MLAs to resign to bring the strength of the House to 210 where it can have a majority along with two independents — an unlikely scenario. Even if BJP achieved this goal, the party may not stake claim to form a government. Instead, it would prefer to see
Karnataka going to the Lok Sabha polls under President’s rule, said sources who are not enthusiastic about Operation Lotus 3.0.
Shankar and Nagesh, who are holed up in a hotel in Mumbai for the past few days, told reporters Congress and JD(S) leaders had ill-treated them. While Shankar was miffed after he was thrown out of the cabinet last month, Nagesh was peeved as he was not given a post as promised.
Sources said disgruntled MLAs — Mahesh Kumatalli (Athani), B Nagendra (Ballari Rural), Umesh Jadhav (Chincholi) and Ganesh (Kampli) — who came together under the leadership of Ramesh Jarakiholi, refused to heed leaders’ requests.
Reached point of no return, dissidents tell party leaders
Kumaraswamy, deputy chief minister Parameshwara and other Congress leaders reportedly made desperate attempts to pacify disgruntled MLAs, but in vain. The dissidents reportedly told party leaders that they have reached a point of no return, hinting that they may join the BJP. The saffron party is confident these MLAs will resign in a day or two.
“We have held negotiations two days ago and now it is time for action,” said a BJP MLA who is camping in Gurgaon.
Congress leaders termed the development a non-event. “We will not lose anything by their decision as the coalition government is strong and stable. They will repent their decision in future,” KC Venugopal said. He also blamed BJP for what he called “its ugly and dirty attempt to destabilise the government”.
“From the very first day this government was formed, the BJP has shamelessly been trying to topple the government,” he alleged.