Ready to face Assembly elections, says Cong MP

Congress MP DK Suresh on Wednesday said the Congress-JD(S) coalition was ready to face elections to the Assembly if it came to that.

Speaking to reporters, Suresh asserted that there was no threat to the coalition. “Everybody who has gone will come back. If they don’t and somebody resigns, then we all will resign and go for fresh elections. The coalition will come back to power. We have faith in the people,” he said.

Suresh, the brother of Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar, said a few senior ministers were ready to step down to make sure the coalition survived. In fact, DH had reported on Tuesday that at least four Congress ministers had offered to resign to contain disgruntlement within the party.

Forest Minister Satish Jarkiholi downplayed the possibility of disgruntlement within the Congress turning into a real threat. Satish’s brother Ramesh Jarkiholi is believed to be leading the coup attempt.

Despite some legislators having expressed unhappiness with the Congress, the numbers show that the government was still strong, Satish said. “Unless they express their displeasure in writing, and resign in writing, nothing will count.”

KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao came down heavily on the BJP.

“The BJP has become anti-democratic by trying to dislodge our government. The BJP is misusing Central agencies, harassing our MLAs, luring them by way of threats,” Rao charged.

“Why is the BJP meeting our MLAs? Why is (Malleswaram MLA) C N Ashwath Narayan in Mumbai? Why is Yeddyurappa talking about good news? This shows they’re trying to topple the government,” he added.