india

Updated: Jul 09, 2019 07:11 IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not rush to stake a claim to form the government in Karnataka without being sure of its numbers, three leaders of the party said on condition of anonymity. It has left it to the state leaders to respond to the emerging situation, they said.

The Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance government in Karnataka has been on the brink of collapse since 13 MLAs put in their papers last week. Two independent lawmakers, who were ministers in the HD Kumaraswamy government, have also withdrawn their support.

The effective strength of the 224-member assembly would be reduced to 211 if the resignations of the 13 lawmakers are accepted. A party or a coalition would need the support of 106 members to form the government in such a scenario. The BJP has 105. “The BJP will wait for the resignations to be accepted,” said one of the leaders cited above. “Our MLAs ill meet again Tuesday in Bangalore [Bengaluru] to take stock of the situation.”

Another BJP leader said they were in no hurry to bring down the government. “The BJP comes into the picture only after the government falls,” the leader said.

Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who heads the BJP’s Karnataka unit, is in touch with the rebel lawmakers and is handling the situation. “He will be the chief minister in case the BJP is invited to form the government,” the second leader said

In Bengaluru, Yeddyurappa said that the Kumaraswamy government has lost its majority and should resign.

“The BJP will request the governor to ask Kumaraswamy to prove his majority on the floor of the House,” a third BJP leader said. “We feel the trigger of the rebellion is within the ruling alliance.”

BJP leaders blame Kumaraswamy’s “approach” towards the lawmakers and “confusion” within the Congress following its defeat in Parliamentary election for the current crisis. “We are the natural beneficiaries of the situation. We have not started it, but we do not mind exploiting it,” the third leader said.

The BJP’s central leadership will keep a safe distance from the developments and leave it to Yeddyurappa and his team to handle the situation, the leaders said.