Karnataka: No threat to coalition government, says MB Patil after 2 Congress MLAs resign

Bengaluru: In the backdrop of resignation filed by Congress legislators Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarkiholi from the Karnataka Assembly, Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil on Monday said there is no threat to the coalition government in the state.

"Ramesh is my dear friend and I will speak to him once again. As we know it is a game plan of BJP. There is no threat to the coalition government," said Patil.

Brother of Ramesh Jarkiholi, Forest Minister Satish Jarkiholi echoed similar sentiments and said: "It was expected. Ramesh had been planning to resign from the last six months. This move does not affect our party or the government. Even if other one or two people resign, it will not do any harm to the government."

Sources said as many as four MLAs may resign in the coming days, including Mahesh Kumathalli, Pratap Gowda Patil and BC Patil.

Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarkiholi`s resignation comes at a time when cracks are seeming to appear in the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress coalition in the state.

However, the two parties have repeatedly said there is no threat to the alliance and the government would complete its full term.

In the recently-held Lok Sabha polls, Congress and the JD(S) failed to make a mark with the BJP bagging 25 of the 28 seats along with an Independent backed by it leaving just one seat each to the coalition partners.