Rejecting speculations that he will resign after the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy told the media that there was no need for him to resign.
"Why should I resign? What is the necessity?" he told the media. When asked how he could continue since 16 MLAs had resigned, Kumaraswamy said, "In 2008- 2009, 18 MLAs had rebelled against BS Yeddyurappa. Did he resign?" Kumaraswamy retorted. Kumaraswamy was referring to the 2009 rebellion when Yeddyurappa was Chief Minister. At the time 43 MLAs had resigned, sending their resignation to then Tourism Minister and mining baron Janardhana Reddy and then Speaker Jagadish Shettar. However, at the time Yeddyurappa refused to accept the resignations, instead offering a compromise formula of a reshuffle in his cabinet to quell the rebellion. Months later, Yeddyurappa found himself in a crisis once again, with 18 BJP MLAs withdrawing support to his government. At the time, Kumaraswamy was accused of bringing together dissident BJP MLAs.
While the BJP has accused Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar of delaying accpeting the resignations of the MLAs, the Speaker pointed to past instances when resignations of MLAs have been kept in abeyance for months before a decision was taken.
The Congress- JD(S) coaltion has just 101 MLAs in the assembly, including the Speaker and BSP MLA Mahesh. However, the coalition hopes that they will be able to convice at least a few MLAs to take back their resignations. With Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar saying that the MLAs have to come before him personally to submit their resignations, the Congress hopes that once these MLAs reach Bengaluru, they will be able to meet and convince them.