Curtains for the coalition: BJP now in striking distance to form Karnataka government

Bengaluru, July 06: The resignations by 11 MLAs from the ruling coalition in Karnataka clearly shows that the BJP's game plan is right on track. While last week two Congress MLAs resigned, today, 8 quit their membership. In addition to this 3 from JD (S) too tendered their resignations.

While taking into account all these numbers, one must also bear in mind that Congress MLA, Roshan Baig stands suspended. OneIndia had reported in May 23 that the BJP would be looking to bring down the House strength in order to form the government.

Even after the BJP emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka, it failed to form the government as it was lacking in numbers. The JD(S) and Congress came together to form the government, but the road for the two parties has not exactly been hunky-dory.

The primary intention of the BJP was to reduce the house strength. The by-elections that were held in Karnataka had earned the BJP one seat and the Congress one.The Kundgol elections were necessitated by the death of Congress MLA C S Shivalli. The Chincholi seat fell vacant following the resignation of former Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav.

BJP sources had said that the spree of resignations will continue and the party would soon stake a claim to form the government.

The Karnataka assembly has 224 members of which the BJP has 105. The Congress and the JD(S) have 78 and 37 respectively, while the BSP and KPJP have one each. The assembly also has an independent MLA. The magic number in the assembly is 113.

If these resignations are accepted then the strength of the assembly falls tp 211. This would be including the two other resignations that were tendered last week. This means the the magic number needed in the House would be 106. If the BJP manages to get the support of one independent, then it can stake the claim to form the government.