Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka: The absence of nine Congress MLAs from the Budget session has once again triggered speculation over the stability of the coalition government in Karnataka. Reports claim that four — Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh G Jadhav, B Nagendra, Mahesh Kumathalli — of nine legislators had also skipped Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting on January 18.
The BJP on Wednesday questioned the legitimacy of the HD Kumaraswamy-led government in the state. The BJP lawmakers even disrupted the address of Governor Vajubhai Vala forcing him to cut short his speech. “We don’t want a bundle of lies to be read. Down…down…the government that has lost majority and trust,” BJP MLAs said.
It has been reported that four Congress MLAs are in touch with the BJP and may switch side. PTI reports that these absent members have not yet responded to the second notice issued by former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah who asked the legislators to explain their absence from the CLP meeting.
Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah on Wednesday issued a whip to party MLAs asking them to compulsorily attend the session between February 6 and 15.
Speaking on the developments, BJP state president and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa said that the coalition government has no moral right to stay. He also claimed that more than 20 Congress legislators had said that they would not accept Kumaraswamy as their Chief Minister.
“Leave aside people having trust in him, his own MLAs don’t have trust in the CM,” he said adding that about 10-11 Congress MLAs did not attend the House on Wednesday.
This comes just days after JD(S) patriarch openly admitted that it was becoming hard for HD Kumaraswamy to run the coalition government. He also asked the top leadership of the Congress to rein in the legislators who were making unparliamentary statements. HD Kumaraswamy too had said that he was ready to quit if the coalition was accepted.