Karnataka turmoil LIVE Updates: Yeddyurappa asks BJP MLAs to return from Gurugram

The high-octane natak (drama) in Karnataka is likely to continue on Saturday as the  Congress sets the house in order and BJP shifts its MLAs back to Bengaluru from Gurugram. BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa has reportedly asked his MLAs, who were staying at a hotel in Haryana's Gurugram to come back to Bengaluru, even as Congress is seeking an urgent reply form four of its MLAs for skipping crucial party meet on Friday. 

Exposing chinks in the ruling coalition in Karnataka, four dissidents Friday skipped the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru that was called as a show of strength against an alleged bid by the BJP to dislodge the HD Kumaraswamy government. 

The absence of four lawmakers posed no imminent threat to the seven-month old Congress-JDS government in the numbers game but suggested that all was not well within the Congress which is still wrestling with dissidence. 

In the 224-member Assembly, BJP has 104 members, Congress-79, JDS 37, BSP, KPJP and Independent one each, besides Speaker. BSP is supporting the government.

Here are the Latest Updates from political turmoil in Karnataka: 

07:30 am: Yeddyurappa asks MLAs to return: BS Yeddyurappa has asked BJP MLAs to finally return to Bengaluru. The opposition legislators were hunkered down at the Gurugram hotel since Mondayto 'prevent the Congress from poaching them'. 

07:00 am: Notice to 4 Congress MLAs: The Congress has issued notices to MLAs who skipped the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru that was called as a show of strength against the alleged bid by the BJP to dislodge the HD Kumaraswamy government. CLP leader Siddaramaiah said that 76 MLAs were present at the meeting, also attended by Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, besides other state leaders.  Ahead of the CLP meet, Siddaramaiah had issue notices to all the party MLAs warning that their absence would be viewed “seriously” and action initiated according to the Anti-Defection law.

06:30 am: Congress MLAs shifted to resort: Soon after the CLP meet, the Congress MLAs were herded together in two buses from the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat where the CLP was held, and taken to a resort near the city. A state senior Congress leader said since it was suspected that eight party MLAs had “committed” to BJP and might jump ship, the legislators were being shifted to a resort. “All the MLAs, MPs, and ministers will stay together.  They will stay together as long as required to escape from the onslaught of the BJP,” Siddaramaiah said, adding that they would also discuss Lok Sabha elections.  

06:00 am: Blows to Congress JD(S) government: In the first blow to the coalition government on Tuesday, two Independents had withdrawn their support to it.  BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa Friday claimed that they were supporting the party whose strength was 106 now.  

“Our MLAs are united. Our team is intact. Our party is intact and united,” Siddaramaiah said, as he unleashed a barrage of attacks on the BJP, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah. 

KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao said, “Let whatever happen, there is no threat to this government.It will complete five years.The BJP is making futile attempts to destabilise the government.” 

(With inputs from agencies)