Hours after polling ends in Karnataka, coalition drama begins

Bengaluru, Apr 24: Barely a few hours after polling was completed in Karnataka, there appears to be fresh trouble for the Congress-Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) coalition.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief in Karnataka B S Yeddyurappa predicted the fall of the government. He said that there would be two BJP governments soon-one at the Centre and the other in Karnataka.

It is just a question of when said Ramesh Jarkiholi, when asked if he would resign from the Congress.The former minister has been disgruntled ever since he was dropped from the ministry. It may be recalled that he had even asked his supporters to campaign for the BJP.

He also attacked his brother Satish Jarkiholi, who is the forest minister and said that he appears to have lost his mental balance. He was responding to Satish's statement that the family's youngest brother Lakhan would be fielded from Gokak, a constituency that is represented by Ramesh.

The BJP on the other hand maintained that several Congress MLAs would resign soon. However two of Ramesh's aides, Mahesh Kumathali and B Nagendra Reddy who represent Athani and Bellary respectively made it clear that they would stick with the Congress.