Speculation was rife in Vidhana Soudha on Monday that disgruntled BJP legislators unhappy at being denied ministerships were planning to join hands with the Congress-JD (S) combine to topple the government.

Seven ministers and nine MLAs held a meeting on Monday at a resort on the outskrits of Bangalore even as the legislature was in session at the Vidhana Soudha. The group seems to have fallen out of the Reddy brothers’ camp as the MLAs’ wish to become ministers was not fulfilled. The dissatisfied MLAs are said to be threatening to resign from their membership of the Assembly if their demand to be accommodated in the Cabinet is not met.

If sources are to be believed, the Congress and the JD(S) are working on a plan to form an alternative Government by poaching some disgruntled BJP MLAs. And, akin to Operation Lotus launched by the BJP a few months ago, the MLAs would be persuaded to resign and contest elections. This theory was the hot topic of discussion among MLAs of all three parties at the Vidhana Soudha.

Speculation gained strength with JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda endorsing the statement of his son and former CM H D Kumaraswamy that he had no objection if his bete noire, S Siddaramaiah became CM. But Gowda chose not to react to the speculation.

According to a senior JD(S) MLA, Kumaraswamy mooted the idea which he was pursuing with the Congress high command. The plan is for the Congress to take the CM’s post, make H D Revanna the Deputy CM and Kumaraswamy a Union Minister.
According to a senior Congress MLA, the JD (S) is in direct touch with the Congress leaderhip in Delhi bypassing the local leadership as in the case of finalising the tie-up for the Council elections, as they are averse to a tie-up with the JD(S).

The MLA said things may move faster once the results of the elections Legislative Council are out.  Support of 113 MLAs is needed to form the Government. Presently, the BJP has 117 MLAs, the Congress 74 and the JD(S) 27. Of the six independents, five support the BJP. This means Cong and JD(S) need the support of 12 more MLAs to form a coalition Government.

The BJP rebels demanding the revamp of the Cabinet who met today, comprised - Renukacharya, Belur Gopalakrishna, S K Bellubbi, Y Sampangi, M V Nagaraj besides Independent MLAs holding ministerial berths - Gulihatti Shekar, D Sudhakar, Venkataramanappa, P M Narendrasamy and Shivaraj Thangadagi.

Interestingly, Ministers Balachandra Jharkiholi and Anand Asnotikar, earlier associated with the Reddys, attended the meeting convened by Renukacharya.

Operation coup

* Rebels cock a snook at CM, Reddys.
* Threaten to resign if not made ministers.
* Reverse Operation Lotus on cards.
* Kumaraswamy chief actor of Cong-JD(S) plot.