Two down, more to go, BJP inches closer towards forming govt in Karnataka

Bengaluru, July 01: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is keeping a close watch on the developments in the wake of Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarkiholi resigning.

There are also reports that seven more MLAs of the Congress would quit and if this spree were to continue, then the coalition in Karnataka is staring at a major crisis. Recently, senior Congress leader, Roshan Baig ruffled feathers, when he rebelled against the party leadership. He has been suspended from the party.

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 BJP has already set in place its plan of action. The party is expecting several MLAs from both the JD(S) and Congress to resign as a result of which the house strength would come down. Congress MLAs, Mahesh Kumathalli, Pratap Gowda Patil and BC Patil are also expected to resign.

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.

With the win in the by-poll the BJP's number has gone up to 105. The party however claims that there are at least 20 other Congress MLAs who are eating to resign and switch sides.

BJP sources tell OneIndia that the spree of resignations will continue and the party would soon stake a claim to form the government. In the 225 member house, the BJP has 105 seats, the Congress prior to these resignations had 78. The JD(S) on the other hand has 37 MLAs. The BSP and the KPJ party have a seat each. There is also an independent and one Speaker.