The B.S. Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka looks certain to fall, with the state’s former chief minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy holding 17 rebel legislators including 12 of the BJP and four Independents in Park Sheraton in Chennai, a day ahead of the crucial test of strength in the Assembly in Bengaluru.
In a further setback to the BJP, Karnataka governor H.R. Bhardwaj also directed Speaker K.G. Bopaiah to maintain status quo on House strength as of October 6 — in effect stalling the ongoing hearing on a petition seeking disqualification of the rebel MLAs.
Meanwhile, Karnataka chief minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said an alliance of his party with the Congress to form a new government “is one hundred per cent certain”.
“The chances for ties with the Congress are imminent. Together we will defeat the BJP,” he told reporters in the presence of 12 BJP rebel MLAs and five independent legislators at a hotel here on Sunday.
Mr Yeddyurappa now has the support of 103 MLAs, well short of the magic figure of 113. Things are likely to get worse for him as three more BJP legislators are likely to join the dissidents soon, says JD(S) MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, who is also in Chennai to help Mr Kumaraswamy engineer the collapse of the first BJP government in the south.