Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Jul 7: Senior state leaders of both Congress and JD(S) are making last ditch efforts to save the coalition government, which has suffered a major setback due to the resignation of 13 MLAs.

H D Kumaraswamy, chief minister of the state, who is on his way back from USA to the capital, is learnt to be putting in his best efforts to persuade the MLAs of his party to withdraw their resignation. He is expected to land in the city in the evening of Sunday.

According to sources the CM has conveyed his decision of reshuffling the cabinet with immediate effect and making room for some of the rebels in the cabinet by asking some of the loyal ministers in both the parties to resign.

File photo

It is said that former PM and JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has suggested the Congress high command to make Mallikarjuna Kharge as the chief minister if the rebel MLAs agree to the plan. According to Deve Gowda, most of the rebel MLAs will support Mallikarjun Kharge as he is a Dalit. Moreover, BJP too cannot dislodge the government, led by a Dalit in any direct manner.

It is learnt that Congress party does not have any clear stand on the course of action that needs to be taken at this hour. AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal has failed in convincing the rebel MLAs to reconsider their decision. Ramalinga Reddy, senior Congress leader and the leader of the rebels is adamant on his decision of resigning.

Ramalinga Reddy spoke to the reporters on Sunday and said, "I am firm on my stand to resign for my MLA position. Time for reconciliation is over. I have informed everything to Venugopal."

If the Speaker Ramesh Kumar accepts the resignations of all the 13 MLAs, then the strength of the assembly will come down from 224 to 211. Then any party with 105 seats can claim to form the government. BJP has 105 MLAs with them, if two independent candidates support them, then they can form the government.

The drama is not yet over. Rumours are making rounds that 10 more MLAs are going to quit in the next few days time. The likely names are Sowmya Reddy, B Nagendra, Anjali Nimbalkar, Anil Chikkamadhu, Ganesh Hukkeri, Dr K Sudhakar and V Muniyappa.