Thirteen of the group of 14 dissidents who had kept Karnataka’s B.S. Yeddyurappa government on edge this last week were set to arrive here from Goa on Saturday night with the Opposition JD(S) steadily adding to its core of 28 MLAs by whittling away at the BJP.
Of the 14 who continued to hold out, only excise minister, M.P. Renukacharya, long seen as the BJP’s plant in the rebel camp, returned to the BJP’s fold. The rebels are being brought in closely guarded by JD(S) MP Cheluvarayaswamy and party MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan.
With four more BJP MLAs pledging support to the former CM and architect of the anti-BSY campaign, the JD(S)’ H.D. Kumaraswamy, the Opposition has swelled, with the Congress’ 73 MLAs, to 118.
Two BJP MLAs, S.K. Bellubbi and Raju Gowda, who had announced they were back in the party after signing a letter withdrawing support, switched back to the JD(S) and with another MLA from Mysore, H.S. Shankarlinge Gowda, were driven out of their homes by Mr Kumaraswamy’s men.
JD(S) and Congress leaders issued statements saying the countdown to the fall of the BJP government had begun. BJP ministers were more cautious while speaking about what could happen on Monday. The party is intent on disqualifying the dissident MLAs. “We are not sure we will win even after getting 10 MLAs who signed the withdrawal letter disqualified. The game is evenly poised,” a senior minister said.