Bengaluru: With Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy scheduled to present the budget on Friday, the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders were seen making frantic efforts to make sure that all their 117 MLAs are present in the House when he does.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued a fresh whip on Thursday threatening to recommend disqualification of the legislators, who stayed away from the session, under the anti-defection law.
Although it’s 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 puncture the 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.
It is rumoured that Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Siddaramaiah have offered cabinet berths to four legislators, who are defiant about attending the budget presentation, promising to drop two ministers each from the Congress and JD(S) to accommodate them.
Using soft diplomacy, the CLP leader had held a dinner for legislators of his party on Tuesday and deputy Chief Minister, Dr G. Parameshawar followed suit on Wednesday.
Mr Kumaraswamy, for his part, was seen closeted with his brother, H.D. Revanna, Congress leader, D.K. Shivakumar, Congress legislator, Bheema Naik and a few other Vokkaliga MLAs in the assembly hall for over half- an- hour after the session was adjourned on Thursday.
The Janata Dal (Secular) seemed to be caught off guard by the absence of its K R Pete MLA Narayana Gowda from the legislature 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 business interests.
