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There has been hectic behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring, as the BJP made a subtle move to poach Opposition MLAs, especially from the Congress, to form the government in Karnataka.
The saffron party has 104 MLAs in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and needs 10-13 more.
On Monday, a few Congress legislators have gone incommunicado and this has created tension in the Janata Dal Secular (JD-S)-Congress coalition government.
Allaying fears
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy allayed the threat to his government and said: “All Congress MLAs are continuously in touch with me. They went to Mumbai after informing me. My government is not under any threat.”
“I know who all the BJP is trying to contact and what they’re offering. I can handle it,” he added.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara in a meeting with senior Congress ministers and party functionaries said the Congress MLAs have no plans to join the BJP. The BJP has attempted since May last year to topple the coalition government, which it sees as a threat.
‘Blaming Cong-JD(S)’
The BJP central leadership has moved over 100 legislators to Gurugram after the party’s national council meet, to prevent them from being poached by the Congress or the JD(S).
As political manoeuvring is on in the State, Opposition leader and former chief minister BS Yedurappa, who is in New Delhi to attend BJP’s national council meet, said: “There is no truth to all these rumours. This is between the Congress and the JD(S). We are not in touch with any of their MLAs. Infact, we are worried about our MLAs. Currently, we are only focused on keeping our MLAs energised.”
Few weeks ago, the BJP tried to lure Ramesh Jharkiholi, a disgruntled Congress MLA and minister who was dropped from Kumaraswamy Cabinet during reshuffle. Reportedly, Jharkiholi is now in touch with at least a dozen MLAs who can support the BJP.
Sources said the Congress has requisitioned its trouble shooter DK Shivakumar to safeguard the JD(S)-Congress government.
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