HDK hints at fightback, says new govt will be unstable

Even as BJP is back to the drawing board to figure out the way forward, caretaker Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy reiterated on Thursday that “whoever forms the government now” would face political instability for the next two years.

He said this soon after reaching out to senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy. This meeting was seen as Kumaraswamy showing that he was willing to fight the BJP back.

“You know what’s happening. The next one or two years, in the current equation, whoever forms the government now cannot provide stability,” Kumaraswamy told reporters. “Will you focus on development or give time for the 20-25 bypolls that the BJP has caused? One can’t guess if there’ll be stability even after the bypolls,” he said.

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Kumaraswamy said he met Reddy to express gratitude for having withdrawn his resignation and voting in favour of his trust motion.

On his part, Reddy said it may not be easy for the BJP to form the government. “There seems to be legal hurdles for the BJP to form a government. But the Governor will take a call,” he said.

‘Rebels will swallow BSY’

Congress’ D K Shivakumar warned the BJP that the rebel MLAs will “swallow” chief ministerial hopeful B S Yeddyurappa if they are not inducted as ministers in the new government.

“If the rebels don’t take oath as ministers with Yeddyurappa, will they be quiet? They will swallow Yeddyurappa. They will tear off his shirt and pants,” Shivakumar told reporters.