Karnataka: 13 BJP MLAs to join Yeddyurappa's party today

New Delhi, Jan 31: Thirteen BJP MLAs from Karnataka, who recently quit the party, are set to take oath as member of BS Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. The Speaker of the state Assembly accepted their resignations on Wednesday.

This has endangered the BJP government as it has now support of only 108 MLAs in the 223-member Assembly.

On Monday, two BJP MLAs submitted a petition to the office of the Speaker, requesting disqualification of 12 MLAs. They alleged the MLAs were indulging in anti-party activities and were trying to topple the government under the pressure of Yeddyurappa, the former BJP leader who recently quit following a tussle with the central leadership. The complaining MLAs also submitted a CD and some documents in support of their claims.

Yeddyurappa, a Lingayat strongman, however, said that he had no plans of toppling the BJP government in the state and was also not eyeing to hijack the presentation of budget this year.

The BJP leadership, meanwhile, maintained that it was confident of completing its full tenure. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar stressed the fact after meeting party president Rajnath Singh, who recently succeeded Nitin Gadkari, in New Delhi, Singh also said that there was no crisis in Karnataka. Shettar said there was no threat to the government and that the budget would be presented on February 8.

According to some quarters, the KJP was looking for an opportunity to disrupt the session to deny any advantage to the BJP ahead of the state polls scheduled this year.

Governor HR Bhardwaj said on January 26 that the Shettar government still enjoyed a majority and as the leader of the BJP legislature party, it was his call to take action on the resignation of the 13 MLAs.

OneIndia News