JD-S, Congress misleading Karnataka MLAs. says BJP

Indo-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday expressed optimism that it would tide over the crisis engulfing its government in Karnataka and accused the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and the Congress of trying to mislead some state legislators.

The problem will be resolved soon. The MLAs who have given a letter to the governor (withdrawing support to the government) should remember that they will lose their membership upon defection, party spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said here in a scarcely veiled warning.

He said that JD-S leader H.D. Kumaraswamy and the Congress were out of power in the state and were feeling desperate\”.

They are trying to mislead some MLAs… they should not indulge in this drama, he said.

The BJP leader said the party will make all efforts to see that its government in Karnataka stays.

It is the BJP\’s first government in the south and our opponents are feeling restless. The government will last its term, he said.

Answering a query, Hussain said there was no question of change of leadership in the state.

There is no such question, he said.

BJP sources said that the party was working on various possibilities, including the possible disqualification of the dissenting MLAs, before vote of confidence is taken up, which will bring down the effective strength of the house.

The 29-month-old BJP government in Karnataka was Wednesday reduced to a minority in the 225-member assembly after 19 lawmakers, including 14 from the ruling party and five Independents, submitted a joint letter to the governor withdrawing support and expressing lack of confidence in Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.