The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BJP, JD(S) plan show of strength

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Monday, Oct 29, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP, JD(S) plan show of strength

B.S. Satish Kumar and S. Rajendran

Parties want to tell Governor that they have support of a majority of MLAs

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Stand conveyed: BJP vice-president Yashwant Sinha, who is in charge of Karnataka affairs, coming out of the Raj Bhavan after meeting Governor Rameshwar Thakur in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) are planning to physically present their MLAs before Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Monday for a head-count to prove that they have the support of the majority of legislators to form a new coalition government.

A joint legislature party meeting of the BJP and the Janata Dal (S) is likely to precede this programme. The legislators of both the parties would be escorted to the Raj Bhavan and would travel together, similar to what they did in January 2006. The leaders of the two political parties have, however, not sought an appointment with the Governor for such a meeting since Mr. Thakur is unlikely to opt for the head-count.

The presentation of the legislators before the Governor is expected to give a clear picture of the strength of the Janata Dal (S) in the light of the claims and counter-claims made by the M.P. Prakash group and that of the former Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy. Both sides have been claiming to enjoy the support of a certain section of the legislators.

Earlier in the day, the Janata Dal (S) legislators were shifted out of Bangalore to a private resort on Doddaballapur road. With several members of the Legislative Council also joining them, it was difficult to keep a count of the MLAs. Most of the Janata Dal (S) legislators enjoyed the outing and kept themselves abreast of the political developments by watching television.

Of a total strength of 58 legislators elected on the Janata Dal (S) symbol, eight were associated with the former Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, and apart from them were the former Minister, P.G.R. Sindhia, and the expelled member, Vaijanath Patil.

Thus, the effective strength of the Janata Dal (S) has been reduced to 48. A member of the Prakash group claimed that they enjoyed the support of 20 legislators. The group of Mr. Kumaraswamy claimed the support of 44 legislators (including some associate members).

The BJP akin to what the Janata Dal (S) has done has collected individual affidavits from each of its MLAs stating that they would support the claims by Mr. Yediyurappa to form a coalition government. This exercise has been undertaken to enable the Governor have the names of the legislators extending support to Mr. Yediyurappa.

As a follow-up step, BJP vice-president Yashwant Sinha, who is in charge of Karnataka affairs, met the Governor on Sunday and held discussions with him for nearly two hours. After the meeting, Mr. Sinha told presspersons that he had appealed to the Governor to permit Mr. Yediyurappa to form the next government. He had conveyed to the Governor that in democracy, the opportunity to form the government should always be given to the majority.

Earlier, Mr. Sinha rushed to Bangalore from Malaysia. He took part in BJP Legislature Party meeting held at the residence of Mr. Yediyurappa.

‘No need for parade’

Mr. Kumaraswamy after consultations with legal experts and others has said that there was no need for the Janata Dal (S) to present its legislators before the Governor.

Mr. Kumaraswamy told The Hindu that the Janata Dal (S) would refrain from taking its legislators to the Raj Bhavan as requested by the BJP. “If need be, I will submit sworn affidavits of the legislators to the Governor.”

The former Chief Minister said: “Our demand now to the Governor is to permit Mr. Yediyurappa to form a government and also summon a session of the legislature. It is only on the floor of the legislature where we can prove our strength and not before the Governor.”

Mahima’s stand

Meanwhile, the Janata Dal (S) MLA, Mahima Patel, who walked out of the party and also resigned as Special Representative of Karnataka in New Delhi said that he was not part of either the Kumaraswamy group or the Prakash group.

Mr. Patel told The Hindu that he had been quoted as returning to the party mainstream following the Janata Dal (S) extending support to the BJP. “This is baseless. I am now working on starting a new political party “Suvarna Yuga” which would be launched on November 14 at Talacauvery”.

He had walked out of the Janata Dal (S) in protest after Mr. Kumarswamy refused to transfer power to the BJP. “The present development looks like a child’s play. I am definitely not part of this game.”

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