Now, BJP working on ‘Plan B’ to jolt govt

The BJP now intends to activate Plan B to get at least seven disgruntled Congress legislators to approach the Governor stating that they have no confidence in the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government and seek a floor test in the Assembly thereafter.

The saffron party, which had planned to cash in on the disgruntlement among a section of MLAs in the Congress camp by asking them to jump ship, received a setback when the grand old party shifted its legislators to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Friday night.

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The BJP is already in touch with four legislators — Umesh Jadhav, Ramesh Jarkiholi, B Nagendra and Mahesh Kumthalli — who kept away from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Friday. It plans to get three more disgruntled legislators in the group, sources said.

Once the group is in its kitty, the BJP plans to convince them to write a letter to Governor Vajubhai Vala stating that they have lost confidence in Kumaraswamy’s leadership. If this is done, the total strength of the coalition government in the Assembly (which at present is 118) will fall below 113 — the magic number required for a majority — thereby compelling the Governor to write to Kumaraswamy to prove his strength on the floor of the House.

Cross-voting by this group will help BJP — which has 104 members — reach the magic number with the help of two independents who have already withdrawn support to the government.

Read also: Get 982 cr from Eagleton Resort: BJP to Cong

The earlier plan is said to have involved getting 12 Congress MLAs to resign. However, it did not succeed.

As part of its game plan, the BJP on Saturday decided to allow its MLAs, camping at the Gurugram resort for the last six days, to return to their constituencies hoping that the Congress would follow suit.

State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa told reporters that his party will not destabilise the ruling coalition. “We will not try to destabilise this government. The Congress and JD(S) need not fear. We will work as the Opposition,” he said. The BJP MLAs have been asked to attend to drought issues in their constituencies, he said.

Plan B will be put into action soon after the Congress MLAs depart from the Bidadi resort where they are confined. The Congress legislators are likely to leave the resort on Sunday evening.