Bengaluru, Jul 28: Differences have cropped up in the JD(S) after the coalition government lost power, with a section of MLAs not averse to extending external support to the saffron party.
The sentiment of some MLAs was more or less endorsed by former minister GT Devegowda, who, after a meeting late Friday night, said some party colleagues were considering “outside” support to the BJP. The JD(S) has 34 MLAs after three resigned and if they want to cross over to the BJP, 22 MLAs have to do so to avoid attracting the provisions of the anti-defection Act.
JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda played down these developments. At a meeting of workers on Saturday, he said; “There is nothing wrong in GT Devegowda’s statement. The coalition government was formed on the assumption that it will be in power for 60 months and we had to go out in 14 months. They must be feeling bad about it. We have our workers to save the party.’’ Insiders at the meetings said former chief minister Kumaraswamy himself proposed that the party should function as a responsible opposition and support the BJP when it does good work.
Kumaraswamy tweeted: “I have observed the baseless news of JD(S) joining hands with the BJP. These speculations are far from truth and neither our legislators nor party workers need to give it credence. We’ll build our party with pro-people work. Our fight will be endless.”
However, resentment in the JD(S) is growing and is directed at Kumaraswamy’s brother HD Revanna, who is being blamed for interfering in every department.
According to BJP legislators, the offer from JD(S) is no surprise and was in fact part of its “talks” to form the government. Earlier this month, when the rebel crisis began, JD(S) legislator SaRa Mahesh had met BJP Karnataka incharge and national secretary P Muralidhar Rao and MLA KS Eshwarappa in Bengaluru, leading to speculation of a BJPJD(S) alliance.
However, BJP is not falling for the offer. “All this may be a drama to create confusion among three of its rebel MLAs... Within the BJP, as of date, there has been no such talk to approach the JD(S) for outside support,” said a BJP legislator.
However, sources said the party may consider the offer as a “back up” in case a situation arises to maintain majority on the floor of the House. The BJP is scheduled to have its legislature party meeting on Sunday.
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