Bengaluru: The woes of the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition could worsen in the next couple of days with a second batch of MLAs likely to resign once Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar returns to Bengaluru.
According to top sources in the state BJP, the second batch could include Khanapur Congress MLA Anjali Nimbalkar, Jayanagar Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy and Bagepalli MLA Subbareddy.
The BJP is keen on reducing the coalition strength to a figure below 100 by making another ten MLAs resign so that they can make a confident bid to return to power.
If the resignations of the 13 coalition MLAs who have already put in their papers, are accepted, the strength of the JD(S)-Congress combine could be reduced to 104 while the BJP's number could rise to 107 with the two Independent MLAs, R. Shankar and H. Nagesh deciding to support it.
Sources said the BJP is trying to persuade two other Congress MLAs V. Muniyappa from Shidlaghatta and Srinivasagowda from Kolar to resign in the second batch but it could not be confirmed if they have agreed to do so.
In February, Kolar MLA Srinivasa Gowda had alleged that the BJP tried to lure him by offering Rs 30 crore and had given him Rs. 5 crore in advance. Later Mr Gowda reporotedly returned the Rs 5 crore to BJP leaders.
