Demanding HDK's resignation, BJP holds state-wide protest

Bengaluru: The BJP said it would stage state-wide protests from Tuesday demanding that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy step down immediately as his government has slipped into a ‘minority’ following the resignation of 13 MLAs and withdrawal of support by two independent MLAs.

While 14 MLAs from ruling coalition Congress and the JD(S) resigned earlier including 12 on Saturday, two independent MLAs H Nagesh (Mulbagal constituency) and R Shankar (Ranebennur) withdrew their support to the government Monday.

“This government has lost the majority and it has no moral right to continue. The chief minister should resign immediately.

We will stage demonstrations tomorrow across the state at all the district headquarters,” BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa told reporters at Bengaluru.

Former deputy chief minister and BJP MLA R Ashok said, “If at all he has dignity, honour and self-esteem, or if he is aware of Karnataka’s culture and traditions, he should immediately resign.

Do not try to stick on to the chair. You do not have the numbers,” he said.

Ashok said he expected the chief minister, who returned from his US trip Sunday night, would straightaway go to the Raj Bhavan and put in his papers following the spate of resignations.

However, that did not happen and only his ministers resigned, he said.

The BJP leader said Kumaraswamy has not only lost the trust of people, but also of the MLAs and ministers.

“So Kumaraswamy has no moral right to continue in office,” he said.

Echoing Ashok’s views, former minister and Mahadevapura BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali demanded that Governor Vajubhai Vala immediately step in and dissolve the government, taking note of the fact that it has lost its majority.

BJP MLC N Ravikumar said the Speaker cannot hold back the resignation of the 13 MLAs for long as the disgruntled group has made it clear that they will not return from Mumbai where they are now put up.

“This government has slipped into a minority after the resignation of 13 MLAs and withdrawal of support by independent MLA Nagesh,” he said.

Ravikumar said his party has gained significant strength following the developments in Karnataka.

The 13-month-old Kumaraswamy government suffered a major jolt with Nagesh and Shankar withdrawing support to it.

Both the MLAs have extended their support to the BJP and headed to Mumbai, BJP sources said, adding that they would join the dissident Congress and JD(S) MLAs.

The total strength of the JD(S)-Congress coalition after Nagesh and Shankar’s withdrawal of support is 116 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP-1) besides the Speaker.

With Nagesh and Shankar’s support, the BJP now has 107 MLAs in the House, where the half-way mark is 113.

If the resignation of the dissident MLAs are accepted, by the Speaker the coalition’s tally will be reduced to 103. The Speaker also has a vote.