Bengaluru: Coalition partners, Congress and JD(S), pulled out all the stops, including a threat of disqualification on one hand and the lure of cabinet berths on the other, to ensure that all their 117 MLAs turn up in the Legislative Assembly to portray a picture of unity when Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy presents his budget on Friday.
The coalition partners felt the need to turn presentation of budget into a show of strength as some rebel Congress legislators continued to stay away from the proceedings in the Assembly for the second consecutive day on Thursday despite a whip by CLP leader, Siddaramaiah, in which a stern warning of the prospect of disqualification under the anti-defection law was conveyed to them. Behind-the-scenes, however, these rebel legislators were told through emissaries that they would be accommodated in the cabinet with each of the coalition partner ready to dump two ministers in order to make room for them.
Besides Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Kumaraswamy, ministers D.K. Shivakumar and H.D. Revanna took upon themselves the responsibility of shepherding all legislators in the Assembly during presentation of the budget. Though it is believed the coalition government's survival will not be in question even if four or five MLAs fail to turn up on Friday, it seems to be making a prestige issue of parading all its legislators during the presentation of the budget to take the wind out of the sails of BJP's claim that they are unhappy with it.
Mr Siddaramaiah, who reportedly assured Mr Kumaraswamy that he would ensure the presence of all Congress legislators during the presentation and passage of the budget, has set his team to work to contact every legislator, who has stayed away from the session so far, according to sources in Congress.
Using dinner diplomacy, the CLP leader urged all MLAs of his party to attend the Assembly on Friday. Leaders of JD (S), however, seemed to be caught off guard by the absence of their K R Pet MLA, Narayana Gowda, during the day.
The MLA is reportedly upset at not being given any post in the government and is presently in Mumbai where he has some business interests. Meanwhile, a majority of legislators of BJP, the principal Opposition, are reportedly keen to call off the protest in the Assembly and participate in the budget session as any attempt to defeat the finance bill or stall proceedings would have a negative impact on the party.
These legislators are keen to put the government on the mat on various issues and therefore are likely to pressurize their leaders to call off the protest on Friday.
