Bengaluru:The JD(S)-Congress combine whose MLAs hunkered down in resorts and hotels following alleged attempts at poaching by the BJP, is now deliberating where to shift them as the saffron party continues efforts to get the requisite number to win the floor test.
The BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the southern state winning 104 seats but is short of a simple majority. On the other hand, the Congress and JD(S), which have already announced post-poll tie-up, have won 78 and 37 seats respectively and staked claim before Governor Vala.
The Governor, however, invited BS Yeddyurappa, and gave BJP 15 days time to prove its majority.
With his political future hanging by a slender thread, BS Yeddyrappa was today sworn in as the chief minister of Karnataka for the third time amid protests.
On Thursday morning, though the apex court did not stay the swearing-in, it kept the sword of Damocles hanging over him, making it clear that his stay at the helm of the state’s affairs will be subject to the outcome of the case.
Former minister and Congress legislator DK Shivakumar said that the decision to shift MLAs will be taken tonight. “The MLAs maybe shifted to Kochi, Delhi, Hyderabad or Vizag,” Shivakumar told DNA. If required, he said, after tomorrow’s Supreme Court hearing they (MLAs) may be paraded to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“There has been a murder of democracy. Let us wait till tomorrow. We feel justice will be in favour of us. Already a chaos is happening throughout the country. In Bihar, Goa, Manipur and other states where we were a single largest party, they’re asking for the same formula,” he said. Meanwhile, the security of MLAs staying at the Eagleton resort has been withdrawn. The resort security personnel are now checking security credentials of the visitors.
A JD(S) MLA told DNA that they are moving their legislators to an undisclosed location outside Bangalore. “Kumaraswamy alone knows where they are going, Kochi most likely location,” he said.
On Wednesday, JD(S)-Congress combine’s chief ministerial candidate H D Kumaraswamy claimed the BJP offered his MLAs Rs 100 crore in bribes to break ranks and back the BJP in government formation, a charge rejected by the saffron party. However, Union minister Prakash Javadekar rubbished JD(S) the charge saying it is “imaginary”. “Rs 100 crore, Rs 200 crore figures are imaginary. The BJP is not doing anything. This is the kind of politics the JD(S) and Congress play,” he said.