In a blow to the Congress-JDS coalition in Karnataka, two MLAs Tuesday withdrew support to the government headed by H D Kumaraswamy. In separate identical letters, available to the media, the lawmakers said they were withdrawing support extended to the coalition government of the Congress and the JDS with immediate effect.
The MLAs, who are now staying in a Mumbai hotel, requested the governor to take “necessary action.” Both the Congress and the BJP have been accusing each other of trying to lure legislators. The BJP MLAs are presently camping in Gurgaon, amid reports that some Congress and Independent MLAs are staying at a hotel in Mumbai.
In the 224-member Assembly in Karnataka, Congress has 80 MLA, JD(S) has 37, BSP 1 and two are independent. These account for the ruling coalition. On the other hand, BJP has 104 MLAs. According to media reports, six to eight Congress MLAs are ready to cross over to the BJP and some lawmakers of the ruling coalition having gone incommunicado. On Monday, both the ruling Congress-JDS coalition and opposition BJP traded charges of making a renewed bid to poach MLAs.
