Kumaraswamy should resign immediately, says Shobha Karandlaje

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy should resign immediately and make way for another government, said BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje here on Monday.

"Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy should resign immediately as he has lost the majority. The Congress MLAs have already resigned and he should make way for another government in the state," Karandlaje told reporters here.

Shobha opined that the current political turmoil in the state is a consequence of the internal rift between the Congress and the JD(S).

"The MLAs left Bengaluru because they are not happy with their leaders. It doesn't have anything to do with BJP. Our party's policy is to wait and watch political developments," she added.

Echoing Shobha's views, BJP MP Gaddigoudar Parvatagouda Chandanagouda, while speaking to ANI, said, "It is because of the internal dispute that these Congress MLAs are resigning. The BJP doesn't have any role in orchestrating defections in Karnataka. Congress-JD(S) coalition government collapses in the state, the senior leaders in the party will decide the future course of action."

Earlier today, in another blow to the coalition government, Karnataka Minister and Independent legislator H Nagesh resigned from the state cabinet and offered support to the BJP, if they form the government.

When asked about Nagesh extending support to the BJP, Shobha said, "We welcome Independent MLA Nagesh, who resigned as the minister. We will accept anybody into our party who is from non-political dispensation. We're not in touch with any rebels of the Congress and JD(S), as long as they are with their parties."

The 13-month-old coalition government slumped into crisis following the resignation of their 11 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly on Saturday.

JD(S) MLA H Vishwanath had claimed that 14 MLAs have jointly tendered their resignations to Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and requested him to accept them. However, the Speaker is yet to accept the resignations.

The strength of the ruling coalition in Karnataka has come down to 105, which is eight short of the half-way mark of 113.