Our party has got half strength to fight alone: HDK

Bangalore, Oct 7: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will today meet Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur to submit the letter of withdrawal of support to the H D Kumaraswamy Government.

The BJP has requested the Governor not to give Kumaraswamy time till October 18 to prove majority on the floor of the State Assembly. The party's state MPs and legislators, along with their office-bearers and workers, will take out a procession, garland the statue of Mahatma Gandhiji before going to the Raj Bhavan, a party press release said.

Withdrawal of support of 79 legislators of the BJP in the 224-member state legislature will reduce the government to a minority, and could force
Kumaraswamy to resign. Kumaraswamy has already ruled out allying with the Congress, saying, "Our party has got half strength to fight alone."

However, the Congress party is keenly watching the political situation in the State. Prithviraj Chavan, the central Congress leader in charge of the State, on Saturday said that only after the BJP informs the Governor about withdrawing the support, the Congress would take a decision on its future plan.

"We are waiting. We have all heard the statements (BJP leaders announcing withdrawal of support)," Chavan said, adding, "I don't trust the BJP."

"Why don't they withdraw support today? The Leader of Opposition only has to go and give a letter to the Governor. He can do it immediately. He can do it tonight," he added.

Congress holds a key political position in the State with its 65 members in the Assembly, excluding the eight other members led by former Deputy

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who broke away from the JD (S) to join the Congress. Kumaraswamy led JD (S) has officially 57 members in the legislature, but its strength is down to 48 after Siddaramaiah's defection, and requires support of another 65 members to reach the simple majority figure of 113 in the State Assembly. However, support from smaller parties and independents, if Kumaraswamy is able to garner it, only add to 17.

The JD (S) leaders, led by former Prime Minister H D Deva Gowda, had announced that their party will go for polls and have charged the BJP for trying to malign Deve Gowda and his family.

ANI>