BJP MLAs won't join another party, instead Cong MLAs will leave govt: BSY

Kalaburagi: The state BJP president on Tuesday said that BJP MLAs will never join any other party, but more than 20 Congress MLAs who are not happy with HD Kumaraswamy will join another party.

Yeddyurappa’s statement comes after Congress’s KC Venugopal asserted that many BJP MLAs in Karnataka will join his party after May 23, when results of the seven-phase general elections will be declared.

On Monday, May 13 addressing a press conference Venugopal said Congress is not going to indulge in horse-trading, as legislatures would shift guard on their own.

” How can they (BJP) destabilize the Karnataka government after May 23? We are not going to poach any MLAs from the BJP, but naturally, they will come to the Congress after May 23. Naturally, that is going to happen,” he told.

It may be recalled that Yeddyurappa had recently said the longevity of the state government would depend on the stand taken by about 20 disgruntled Congress legislators after the Lok Sabha election results.

There are already discussions within political circles that any adverse results for the Congress-JD(S) coalition in the Lok Sabha polls, would have its implications on the state government.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and JD(S) leaders, including its state chief A H Vishwanath are upset over a few Congress legislators, including ministers, clamouring for CLP leader Siddaramaiah becoming chief minister again, triggering a slugfest between the two parties.

Karnataka went to polls in two phases of the Lok Sabha elections – on April 18 and 23 – for the 28 Lok Sabha seats at stake. Results will be declared on May 23.

In the 224-member state Assembly, JD(S) has 37 MLAs and its coalition partner has 80. It has the support of some Independents in the House where the majority figure is 113.