Karnataka: 4 Congress MLAs skip crucial meet, rest taken again to Eagleton resort for a huddle

BJP has so far managed to draw the lone Independent MLA, H. Nagesh, and the lone Karnataka Pragnavantha Janata Party member, R. Shankar, to withdraw support to the government. But that’s still not good enough as it is left 7 short of the majority mark of 113.

Picture taken from Eagleton India website.

Bengaluru: The political crisis in Karnataka hasn’t died yet with the Congress party again shifting all its MLAs in Karnataka to the Eagleton resort in the outskirts of Bengaluru. The move was taken after four legislators skipped the Congress Legislature Party meeting this afternoon. It is the same resort which was used by the party last year to keep its and JDS’MLAs away from being “poached by the BJP.” CLP leader and former state CM Siddaramaiah told reporters that the Congress will issue notices to four MLAs seeking explanation from them for their absence at the Congress Legislature Party meeting. The absentee MLAs were: Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was dropped as minister in the recent cabinet rejig and is said to be extremely unhappy over it, B Nagendra, Umesh Jadhav and Mahesh Kumatahalli. Siddaramaiah said Umesh Jadhav, B Nagendra had taken permission to not attend the meeting because of a court case. Umesh Jadhav had written to him saying he is not well. “Ramesh Jharkiholi and Mahesh Kumutahalli will get a notice from the party for skipping the meet,” he said. Siddaramaiah said the issue would be discussed with the party high command and state leaders before deciding on the next step. Congress Legislature Party meeting was called to demonstrate a show of strength to the BJP which the party alleged launched  ‘Operation Lotus’ to topple the coalition government in Karnataka. In the 224-seat Assembly, the BJP has 104 MLAs, the Congress 80 including the Speaker, the JDS 37 and its ally Bahujan Samaj Party, one. BJP has so far managed to draw the lone Independent MLA, H. Nagesh, and the lone Karnataka Pragnavantha Janata Party member, R. Shankar, to withdraw support to the government. But that’s still not good enough as it is left 7 short of the majority mark of 113.