Bengaluru: Former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s wish to become Karnataka CM a fourth time, may not be fulfilled for now as he has not been able to garner the required support from dissident Congress MLAs after a phase of hectic political activity in the past few days.
On Wednesday, Mr Yeddyurappa informed BJP MLAs that he has dropped his plan to form a new government in the state as the party has not been able to get the required 16 MLAs of the ruling Congress to resign from the Assembly and ensure the BJP can secure a majority in the House in the event of a confidence vote.
Mr Yeddyurappa who addressed party MLAs at Gurugram in Haryana, said, "the BJP central leadership has categorically instructed us that the party should try to form the government in Karnataka only if 16 Congress MLAs come in a group and offer to resign from the Assembly and back us."
The earlier plan of the BJP was to ensure the resignation of 13 MLAs, however the party central leadership later instructed state leaders that at least 16 MLAs have to resign if the BJP has to make a bid at government formation.
"In fact 12 MLAs were ready to resign on Tuesday itself, but the central leadership told us that at least 16 MLAs have to put in their papers. As this did not materialise, we have dropped our plan to form the government", Mr. Yeddyurappa informed party MLAs.
Asserting that his statement that 12 Congress MLAs were ready to resign was "hundred percent true," the former CM said the toppling game could not be taken to its logical end as the central leadership instructed them not to take the risk without ensuring the resignation of 16 Congress MLAs.
The BJP has also advised the MLAs to return to Bengaluru on Wednesday and suggested that they get actively involved in preparations for the Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao accused the ruling coalition of trying to poach BJP MLAs, and said its "desperate attempt" to shore up its decreasing numbers will come to a nought. A senior BJP leader said the party will "wait and watch" as to how the differences within the alliance play out before taking a call on its next move.
