Bengaluru: Despite public protestations to the contrary, reliable sources have told Deccan Chronicle that Karnataka BJP president, B.S. Yeddyurappa, taking advantage of the brewing discontent in the state Congress, is believed to be stepping up efforts to muster the numbers his party needs to form a government in the state before the Lok Sabha elections. Sources close to him say he is in touch with 17 Congress MLAs, who are disgruntled with the party leadership for ignoring them. Should they decide to switch sides, the BJP could have the required numbers to form the government, they point out.
Sources reveal that Mr Yeddyurappa has approached closet rebel Congress Minister, Ramesh Jarakiholi and the six to eight MLAs from Mumbai and Hyderabad Karnataka, who are supporting him. He is also believed to have approached eight other Congress MLAs, including Mr B.C. Patil and Mr Shivalli besides an independent MLA, who are unhappy at having been denied Cabinet berths.
The Congress may have more reason to worry if there is any truth in the ongoing if unconfirmed report that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is away on a break in Europe, is in no mood to douse the discontent in the party although as coordination committee chairman, he is expected to. While BJP party insiders are unsure whether there is any imminent threat to the coalition government in the state, they claim the discontent in the party could take ominous shape before the Dasara festival. "If the discontent continues, interference by the Governor cannot be ruled out," they contend.
