NEW DELHI: Even as the Supreme Court sharply curtailed the window to prove majority in the Karnataka assembly, BJP expressed confidence of winning the floor test on Saturday with its leaders claiming that as many as 10 MLAs from rival camps would support it.
Party leaders said MLAs in Congress and JD(S) had assured to vote in favour of the B S
Yeddyurappa government as it is believed that the invitation to BJP will convince them that a stable government is possible. Apart from the 'Lingayat' factor where MLAs from the community might prefer BSY to JD(S) leader
H D Kumaraswamy, it is also being pointed out that most JD(S) MLAs have won tough fights against Congress nominees. Even outgoing chief minister
Siddaramaiah's loss in Chamundeshwari was to a JD(S) candidate .
The argument that many JD(S) MLAs are uncomfortable allying with Congress may be partially offset with Siddaramaiah not being in the saddle any more, but much will depend on how would-be defectors view the possibility of their being re-elected after near certain disqualification for violating the anti-defection law.
While BJP faces a tough challenge to prove its majority, party leaders said the record of Congress, which has on several occasions caused political instability at the Centre and states by extending "opportunist" support and withdrawing, will weigh on the legislators who will worry about truncated terms.
Forming a government is important for BJP as it would help it cement its preparations for the Lok Sabha polls in the state. The argument that a Congress-JD(S) alliance will be numerically superior in any election is being considered by the party, but it believes there is no other option but to mount a determined bid to form a government. Should the Congress-JD(S) combine form the government, the coalition could well consolidate before the Lok Sabha polls.
"There are any number of examples when political veterans were deceived by the Congress... the likes of Chaudhary Charan Singh, Chandrashekhar and H D Deve Gowda himself at the Centre. Several state governments had also fallen victim to Congress's opportunist politics," a senior BJP leader said.
