BJP denies any role in resignation of Karnataka MLAs

Bengaluru, July 6 (IANS) Karnataka's opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday denied playing any role in the resignation of 11 legislators of the ruling Congress-Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) coalition in Karnataka.

"As we have said earlier, our party has nothing to do with the resignation of Congress and JD-S legislators from their assembly seats. You have to ask them," BJP's state unit President and former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa told reporters here.

In a day of dramatic developments, 8 Congress and 3 JD-S lawmakers submitted resignation letters to Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar and apprised Governor Vajubhai Vala of the reasons for their collective decision.

Reiterating his party's stand, Yeddyurappa said the resignations were expected in view of the disgruntlement in many legislators of the ruling alliance with the way their year-old coalition government was functioning.

"As we said all along, the allies had no mandate to form a coalition government after the Congress lost in the assembly elections last year. They contested against each other, but formed a post-poll alliance only to keep our party out of power," he said.

Though Yeddyurappa formed the government on May 17, 2018, he resigned on May 19, 2018 as the BJP, which won 104 seats then, fell 8 short off the halfway mark (113) for a simple majority in the assembly.

The BJP's state unit has decided to wait for the Speaker's decision on the dozen resignations, including one by Congress lawmaker Anand Singh who gave his letter to Ramesh Kumar on July 1.

"We will see what happens next week in the run-up to the 10-day monsoon session of the legislature from July 12. Though we decided to not to press for a trust vote, a floor test will become inevitable for the trail of strength if the Speaker accepts the resignations," Yeddyurappa said.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah, however, claimed the coalition government was safe and would survive the crisis brought up by the rebels resigning from their seats.

"There is no threat to our coalition government. It will continue. I have called for a CLP meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation arising out of the rebels resigning from the party," Siddaramaiah told reporters after meeting Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and party's state working President Eshwar Kandre.

Party's state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao, who has been on a week-long holiday in Europe with family, is returning to Bengaluru on Sunday to resolve the crisis gripping the party.

State Chief Minister of the JD-S H.D. Kumaraswamy is also returning on Sunday from a week-long private visit to the US along with two JD-S cabinet ministers to chair the party's meeting.