Cong leaders confident that Karnataka crisis will end on a happy note

Notwithstanding political turmoil that has rocked Congress-JDS coalition government in the state, the Congress leaders on Sunday exuded confidence that they would survive the crisis.

"Everything is OK. Wait for some time and you will get good news," said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Eshwar Khandre while talking to reporters after a meeting with the party leaders here.

When asked if the coalition government will run smoothly, he said: "Yes, it will run." He also expressed hope that disgruntled MLAs would come back.

"Wait and see. I am hopeful that our MLAs will come back. I am 100 per cent hopeful that they will come back. We are in touch with them," said the KPCC working president.

Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi, whose brother Ramesh Jarkiholi is one of the MLAs who had resigned, said: "No, I am not in touch with my brother. When Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy comes, then the real things will start."

He also stressed that no discussion has taken place on the chief minister's post being given to the Congress party.

Another Congress leader HK Patil said that the party leaders are talking to MLAs who were "unhappy."

"Our leaders are talking to all those legislators, who are unhappy or those who have resigned. Things are improving. The government will be safe and stable," he said.

He also accused the BJP of creating problems for the state government.

"It is only the BJP which is creating all these problems. Things will be safe. A lot of improvement will take place. We are in a period of crisis. Whatever reservations we may have, this is not the time to discuss that," added Patil.

Asked about the dissident MLAs, the Congress leader said: "Everything will be okay. All our legislators will come back."

On Saturday, 11 MLAs from the Congress-JDS coalition submitted their resignation to the Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and Governor Vajubhai Bala. Later in the evening, 10 of the MLAs left for Mumbai.

The MLAs who resigned from the Assembly include BC Patil, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda, S Hebbar, Mahesh Kumatalli, Gopalayya, Ramesh Jharkiholi, and Pratap Gowda Patil.

A rebel JD(S) MLA claimed that a total of 14 MLAs of the coalition has put down their papers.

The Congress party has accused the BJP of trying to form a government in the state through defections.

"Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram (the culture of defections) has now attained a new definition in India. The new word for 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' is MODI -- mischievously orchestrated defections in India," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said in New Delhi on Saturday while talking to media persons.