BS Yeddyurappa calls back all Karnataka BJP MLAs camping in Gurugram

BENGALURU:  Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka State President and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Saturday asked all BJP MLAs camping in Gurugram to return to Karnataka.

Former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, in Bengaluru: Our MLAs are returning to Bengaluru from Delhi. We will tour the state and analyse the situation of drought. We will not destabilize this govt at any cost. Congress and JDS need not worry. pic.twitter.com/gQyH4OaIoR — ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2019

The Karnataka BJP MLAs were staying at a seven-star hotel in Gurugram since Monday to avoid being "poached" by the ruling Congress-JDS alliance. The BJP, however, claimed that the MLAs were in Gurugram to finalise strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

On Tuesday, Yeddyurappa had accused Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of indulging in horse-trading by offering ministerial posts and money to BJP MLAs.

"We are not indulging in any poaching. It is Chief Minister Kumaraswamy who is indulging in horse-trading. He himself is offering money and ministerial posts to our MLAs," he had said.

The political drama began in Karnataka after three Karnataka Congress MLAs went to Mumbai on Monday with some BJP MLAs. The Congress alleged that the BJP was trying to topple the Congress-JDS coalition government in the state by poaching its MLAs.

Things took a new turn on Tuesday after two independent MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly - R Shankar and H Nagesh - withdrew their support from the coalition government.

In the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, BJP is the single largest party with 104 MLAs, JD(S) has 37 MLAs and the Congress 80. The majority figure is 113 MLAs.

(with agency inputs)