Karnataka: 2 Independent MLAs withdraw support, Congress says govt still stable

The two Independent MLAs Shankar from Ranebennur and Nagesh from Mulbagal had extended their support to the Congress-JDS alliance when it was formed in the month of May 2018.

Karnataka: Two Independent MLAs, H Nagesh and R Shankar have announced to withdraw their support from Karnataka government on Tuesday. (PTI)

Karnataka: Two Independent MLAs, H Nagesh and R Shankar have announced to withdraw their support from Karnataka government on Tuesday. These MLAs had extended their support to the Congress-JDS alliance when it was formed in the month of May 2018. The two Independent MLAs Shankar from Ranebennur and Nagesh from Mulbagal released letters addressed to the governor stating their withdrawal today. Speaking about his withdrawal from the Congress government, Independent MLA H Nagesh was quoted by ANI as saying, "My support to coalition govt was to provide good and stable govt which utterly failed. There's is no understanding among coalition partners. So, I decided to go with BJP to install stable govt and see that govt performs better than the coalition." While R Shankar said, "Today is Makar Sankranti, on this day we want a change in the govt. The govt should be efficient, so I am withdrawing my support (to the Karnataka govt) today."

2 Independent MLAs, H Nagesh and R Shankar, withdraw their support from Karnataka govt. pic.twitter.com/C34u3BNFOb

— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2019

Following the news of the legislators leaving the party, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy maintained that the alliance was stable and he wasn't worried about the situation. "If 2 MLAs withdraw their support, what will be the numbers? I'm totally relaxed. I know my strength. Whatever is going on in media in the past week, I am enjoying," Kumaraswamy said. Deputy Chief Minister of the state has also said that the government is not being affected by the withdrawal of the MLAs and that BJP is luring the MLAs with money and power. "We have been saying that BJP is luring our MLAs through money and power but their attempts to destabilise the govt will fail. Our govt is stable," G Parameshwara said.

Meanwhile, BJP's Ram Shinde said, " They must have thought that they should join BJP that received the mandate instead of those who formed unnatural alliance. I'm getting a feeling that Operation Lotus will be successful in the coming days."