Cong blames BJP for resignation of MLAs; Says govt safe

A day after two of its MLAs tendered their resignations, the Congress in Karnataka went into a damage control mode Tuesday as it made attempts to reach out to the disgruntled legislators while asserting that its coalition government with JDS was safe.

Jolted by the double blow, the Congress also accused the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of making attempts to topple the 13-month old H D Kumaraswamy government, a charge rejected by the saffron party.

Raising eyebrows, a JDS Minister, however, gave a clean chit to Modi and Shah saying they were not involved in state politics.

According to Congress sources, former chief minister and Congress Legislature Party chief Siddaramaiah, who has taken the lead role in keeping the party flock together, has been reaching out to the disgruntled MLAs, considered 'vulnerable', since Monday.

There are concerns that a few more MLAs who were allegedly in touch with the BJP may follow the foot steps of Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarkiholi who had sent in their resignations as legislators to Speaker Ramesh Kumar Monday.

The developments dealt a double blow to the wobbly JDS-Congress government with another phase of uncertainty looming large over its stability.

Speaking to reporters here Tuesday, Siddaramaiah alleged BJP was behind the resignation of MLAs and the party wanted to some how topple the government and come to power.

"....it's BJPs conspiracy. They are the ones who are trying to lure our MLAs... They have the thirst for power, so they are making such attempts, he charged.

Amit Shah himself is doing this. The Prime Minister is also involved in this. To pull down this government, they are offering money, they are offering power," he alleged.

For the last one year they had been trying to topple the government but did not succeed. "Again they have started, they will not succeed, he added.

He was responding to a question about JDS leader and Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda's statement earlier in the day in Mysuru giving a clean chit to Modi and Shah.

"...they (PM and Shah) are thinking about what to do for the nation, on Kashmir issue, how to deal with America and China Modi has promised a farmer-friendly budget on July 5. No one should blame BJP leadership, he said.

Interestingly JD(S) leader and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy who is in the US in a tweet had on Monday accused BJP of day dreaming of destabilising his government.

Rejecting Congress's charge that the BJP was behind the resignation of its two MLAs, the party's Karnataka unit chief B S Yeddyurappa said it was a ploy to hide "differences" within the ruling party.

On threats by several Congress leaders, including Minister R B Timmapur, of a reverse operation against the BJP, he said they had been saying this for the last three months and dared them to carry it out. "We are all together, 105 BJP MLAs are united," he said adding none can be lured.

Congress is keen to diffuse the situation quickly as any more resignation by disgruntled MLAs from the ruling coalition will trigger a number game in the assembly.

The coalition's strength in the 224-member assembly stands at 118 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP-1 and Independents-2), besides the Speaker.The BJP has 105 MLAs.

If the resignation of two MLAs is accepted, the combine's strength will come down to 116 against half-way mark of 113.

However, expressing confidence the two MLAs will not go to BJP, Siddaramaiah said, Im not able to reach both of them (Singh and Jarkiholi) over phone, I will speak to them and convince. According to me, no MLA will gogovernment is hundred per cent safe."