JOIN USThe party legislator from Channapattana M C Ashwatha has been ‘missing,’ ahead of the crucial trust vote against the Yeddyurappa Government scheduled on October 11.
The party sources said the MLA has been poached by the BJP, whose Government has been reduced to a minority after 19 rebel MLAs withdrew support. Ashwatha, it is said, has remained ‘out-of-reach’ from his own partymen from Thursday evening.
Efforts were also made to woo another JD(S) MLA from Mandya, M Srinivas, but he refused to switch his loyalty. The JD(S) MLA has been poached when the State party President H D Kumaraswamy is busy in Goa holding back rebel BJP MLAs.
Sources said the MLA has been kept in an undisclosed location and he may not return to Bangalore till the completion of the process of confidence motion in the Assembly on Monday. In other words, he may abstain from voting, to help the ruling party. The JD(S) strength will be reduced to 27 in the Assembly during the trust vote if Ashwatha abstains.
Gowda calls the shots
JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda immediately swung into action and held the legislature party meeting to keep his MLAs together.
However, JD(S) spokesperson Y S V Datta claimed that Ashwatha is with the party. “It is true that the BJP tried to lure our MLAs, but they have rejected the offer,” he stated.
Speaking to reporters, Gowda alleged that the BJP is trying to win the trust vote by devious means. The Speaker’s issuing notices to 11 BJP MLAs is unconstitutional. “I will urge the Governor to appoint Central observers to oversee the confidence motion on October 11,” he added.