The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to resign with immediate effect or seek a trust vote on Monday.
A total of 16 MLAs of JD(S) and Congress have resigned and two independents have withdrawn their support to the government and extended it to the BJP, according to State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa.
He said, in the Business Advisory Committee meeting today, he will discuss and advise the same thing to Kumaraswamy.
Former chief minister Yeddyurappa said, 15 MLAs have approached the Supreme Court against Assembly Speaker for not accepting their resignation.
On the other hand, Congress will hold its Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru this morning.
Karnataka Legislative Assembly will resume its session today after the weekend.
Earlier, with political theatrics of Karnataka becoming the talk of the country, Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah left no stone unturned to put up a brave front by putting his house in order.
His efforts got a boost with disgruntled Congress MLA MTB Nagaraj saying he would remain with the party.
It’s time country knows the real reason behind collapse of @INCKarnataka
A party which not only lost a govt but in the process lost its existence & trust among their MLA’s
Collapse of Congress was scripted by their own party leadership the day they joined hands wit JDS
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) July 14, 2019
Rebel K'taka Congress MLA ST Somashekar: We won't take our resignations back at any cost. K Sudhakar is in Delhi & he is also in our support, he may join us here in Mumbai anytime soon. BJP leader R Ashok has nothing to do with us, we are unaware as to why he is here. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/PiIzNbWd2N
— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2019
Siddaramaiah exuded confidence that he would manage to get most MLAs on the board during the floor test of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.
He claimed other rebel MLAs will join the party ahead of the crucial floor test on Monday. He also hopes that Chikballapur MLA Sudhakar will also return to the party fold like Nagraj.
Siddaramaiah also said Congress is trying to get in touch with everyone and claimed he is in touch with Ramalinga Reddy.
Talking to the media on Sunday, Nagaraj said he and party legislatore K Sudhakar Rao had given resignations from MLAs’ post. However, as everyone was asking him to stay in Congress he decided to stay with the party.
Hoskote MLA Nagaraj and Chikballapur Congress MLA Rao had tendered resignations from the Assembly on July 10.
Karnataka Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah meets rebel MlA Ramalinga Reddy pic.twitter.com/bqQes3gH2d
— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2019
Congress troubleshooter D.K Shivakumar visited Hoskote MLA’s residence early in the morning to convince him to take back his resignation.
Also Read: Two more MLAs resign amidst political chaos in Karnataka
Later, Nagaraj said he will try to convince Sudhakar to take back his resignation as well.
The Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state is facing crisis ever since 16 rebel legislators resigned from their Assembly seats.
Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh have written a letter to the Speaker asking him to arrange their seating in the opposition benches in the Assembly.