Triggering political speculation, the special meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party State unit and its legislature party on Wednesday authorised its president B.S. Yeddyurappa to take appropriate decision on the role to be played by the party, including forming the government, if the Janata Dal (Secular)–Congress coalition government crumbles.
The decision by the BJP has come at a time when dissidence among a section of Congress MLAs has threatened the stability of the coalition, whose leaders have accused the BJP of trying to poach their MLAs to topple the government.
“The legislature party and the special meeting that comprised legislators, MPs and office-bearers authorised Mr. Yeddyurappa to decide on the action to be taken by the BJP in the event of the collapse of the coalition government,” BJP State general secretary Arvind Limbavali told reporters after the meeting.
Denying allegations that the BJP was behind dissidence in the governing combine and was trying to poach MLAs, Mr. Limbavali predicted that the coalition government was about to crumble. Referring to the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation against Congress Minister D.K. Shivakumar, he said, “Already governing coalition leaders are fearing that their combine may collapse as their troubleshooter himself is in trouble.”
Earlier, addressing the special meeting, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the BJP would not try to destabilise the government. However, the party would take a call on what should be done in consultations with senior leaders if the coalition government collapses, he said. Accusing Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of trying to woo BJP MLAs, he wondered why the Chief Minister would have made such efforts if his government was as stable as he claimed.
He charged the Water Resources Minister with demanding 8 to 10% commission for clearing bills of contractors and accused the Public Works Minister of working as a commission agent.
Campaign planned
He declared that the BJP would launch a campaign if the Deputy Commissioner of Hassan district failed to act against the family members of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in connection with land-grabbing allegations levelled against them by Congress leader A. Manju.