Karnataka crisis: Will Cong MLAs from Kolar and Chikkaballapura quit next?

On Saturday, it was mainly MLAs from Bengaluru who tendered their resignations.
Karnataka crisis: Will Cong MLAs from Kolar and Chikkaballapura quit next?
Karnataka crisis: Will Cong MLAs from Kolar and Chikkaballapura quit next?
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Even as 13 Congress and JD(S) MLAs have tendered their resignations, speculation is rife that five more MLAs from the ruling coalition will resign on Monday. Highly placed sources in the BJP say that the next spate of resignations would come from legislators in Kolar and Chikkaballpura districts.

Party insiders say that Chikkaballapura Congress MLA Dr K Sudhakar, Bangarpet Congress MLA Narayanaswamy, Kolar JD(S) MLA Srinivas Gowda and Mulbagal independent MLA H Nagesh are likely to tender their resignations on Monday.

"Once they offer their resignations, they will also be flown in to Mumbai or Goa, depending on where they want to be lodged," a source with the BJP said. 
On Saturday, 10 Congress and 3 JD(S) MLAs including former state Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Ramesh Jarkiholi, H Vishwanath, ST Somashekar, Pratapgouda Patil, K Gopalaiah, BC Patil, Mahesh Kumtahallli, Narayana Gowda, Byrathi Basavaraj, Shivaram Hebbar, Anand Singh and Munirathna Naidu tendered their resignations to the Speaker's office. The MLAs are mainly from Bengaluru. The Speaker is set to make a decision on whether he would accept the resignations on Tuesday.  

Meanwhile, Congress leaders in Karnataka have swung into action and are coming up with offers for the rebels to lure them into withdrawing their resignations.

Karnataka Water Resource Minister and the troubleshooter for the Congress, DK Shivakumarrushed to JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda's residence at 12 pm on Sunday.

Congress insiders say that DK Shivakumar and Deve Gowda discussed the possibility of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy stepping down from his post in case the BJP plans to move a no confidence motion in the Assembly on July 12.

"The Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, KC Venugopal, DK Shivakumar and Zameer Ahmed Khan met and discussed the repercussions on Saturday night. If they are unable to pacify the MLAs, then the best scenario would be to avoid a trust vote and rather ask Kumaraswamy to step down. This may motivate the rebels to rethink their decision," a Congress source said.

The strength of the coalition government is 120 now, including the Speaker. Congress has 80 MLAs, the JD(S) has 37 MLAs and there is 1 BSP MLA. Two independent MLAs - R Shankar from Ranebennur and H Nagesh from Mulbagal constituencies - are also supporting the coalition. The BJP’s strength in the Assembly is 105. The majority mark is 113.

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