Click to play videoBangalore: BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa met Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Monday evening and staked claim to form the government in the state.
He was accompanied by senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Ananthkumar, Sadanand Gowda, party MLAs and three independents – Narendra Swamy, D Sudhakar and Venkata Ramanappa. The BJP said two other independents have also announced their support to the new government.
The party, with 110 MLAs, has got more than the three legislators they needed for simple majority. Earlier in the day, Yeddyurappa was elected as the leader of the legislature party.
Yeddyurappa also denied suggestions that his government would include "money bags" who have won in the elections in places like Bellary saying the government would be based on the policies of the party.
“I strongly believe that the chief minister’s post is that of a public servant and not that of a head of the state,” Yeddyurappa said humbly.
Meanwhile, BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley told CNN-IBN, “We have requested the Governor to send a recommendation to the Centre so that President’s Rule is removed from the state. The moment it is revoked, the BJP government will take oath. The Election Commission is expected to send a notification of results to the Governor.”
But before the BJP could muster the required numbers, there were some uneasy moments for the party.
Even as people and party members made a beeline to congratulate Yeddyurappa, the chief minister-in-waiting was busy with last minute arithmetic needed to form the new government.
Three more MLAs were needed and the BJP legislature party meeting scheduled for Monday morning was delayed for over four hours as they tried to win over the support of a few independents. Finally the saffron party got their numbers together. BJP sources said the government is likely to be sworn in on May 29.
But until then the independents are likely to be taken away to a secret location. After the JD(S) sent feelers to the Congress to try and form another coalition with the Congress, the BJP it seems won’t be taking any chances.
A section of Congress leaders have also been in touch with its rebels to prevent them from supporting BJP to enable the saffron party cobble up the required number for majority.
The stability of the government that the BJP forms will rest not with the 110 MLAs but with the independents who are a part of it, and there is a price to be paid for it – these MLAs could be given ministerial berths to ensure the smooth continuity of the government.
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