'We are ready too': Yeddyurappa takes up floor test challenge

Benagluru, July 13: A day after Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy made a surprise announcement to seek a trust vote, BJP president BS Yeddyurappa on Saturday said that the opposition is ready for a no-confidence motion

"We have no objection to the No Confidence Motion. We will wait until Monday. We are ready to face the No Confidence Motion on Monday," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.

The impending floor test was necessitated by the resignation of 18 legislators from the Congress-Janata Dal Secular (JDS) alliance, a development that has threatened to topple the HD Kumaraswamy government.

Meanwhile, Congress troubleshooter and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar reached the residence of Housing Minister MTB Nagaraj at about 5 am on Saturday and camped there for almost four-and-a-half hours in order to pacify him.

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara reportedly also reached Nagaraj's house to convince him to withdraw the resignation. Nagaraj had resigned from the MLA post on Wednesday.

Nagaraj, one of the 16 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs who resigned from the Assembly, said senior Congress leaders met him and asked him to withdraw his resignation.

"Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao called me and requested me to withdraw the resignation and stay in the party. I have sought time to mull over it. I told them I will speak to Chikkaballapura MLA Sudhakar and persuade him to withdraw his resignation. We are planning to stay here only," Nagaraj said, flanked by Parameshwara, Shivakumar and other leaders.

A similar attempt was on to persuade MLAs Ramalinga Reddy, Munirathna and R Roshan Baig. Sources in JD(S) said Kumaraswamy is in direct talks with at least four Congress legislators, who have resigned, and was hopeful that they would withdraw their resignation.

In a bid to keep the flock together ahead of the floor test that is likely during the coming week, both the Congress and BJP shifted their MLAs to hotel and resorts.