With the Janata Dal (Secular)–Congress coalition government on the brink, leaders from the two parties made last-ditch attempts to woo the rebel legislators who have already tendered their resignations. The focus now has turned towards senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy, following Housing Minister N. Nagaraju’s exit from Bengaluru to join the rebel camp in Mumbai.

The fact that almost entire top leadership of the Congress, along with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, went to Mr. Reddy’s residence on Sunday evening showed the importance now being given to the former Minister after Mr. Nagaraju joined the rebels even after a series of confabulations with him by Congress leaders on Saturday.

While KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre met Mr. Reddy in the morning, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, senior leader M. Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal, among others, were holed up at his residence at Chandapura in the evening.

“Mr. Reddy has resigned as a legislator but not from the party. He is hurt and angry with some partymen. Leaders are trying to convince him and want to reach out to rebel legislators, especially those from Bengaluru, through him. Mr. Reddy is now being seen as some one who can ensure the government’s survival,” a Congress source said, and added that another senior Congress legislator R. Roshan Baig has been reached out through party veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad. “We are confident that these two will not create trouble,” the source said.

‘To seek inputs’

Another senior Congress leader said Mr. Reddy was being approached to “seek inputs and suggestions from him on how to tide over the situation. He is an important and powerful leader having influence [on legislators]. He has agreed to be with us [the Congress].”

After the consultations, Mr. Reddy remained diplomatic: “I will not talk about politics till Monday”. Sources close to Mr. Siddaramaiah, however, said Mr. Reddy had assured them of not leaving the Congress. But he has added a rider that he would want the remaining three Congress rebel MLAs from Bengaluru to return from the rebel camp.

‘Not surprised’

Meanwhile, the exit of Mr. Nagaraju did not surprise many, a source close to a senior leader said, and added that his plans to join the rebel camp was only delayed by a day. “He was scheduled to leave on Saturday. Because Congress leaders kept him for consultations, he remained in the city. He chose to go on Sunday.”

On Sunday, Congress leaders met at Kumara Krupa Guest House while Mr. Siddaramaiah, Congress Legislature Party leader, met a bunch of party legislators at a private hotel here. Later in the evening, Dr. Parameshwara also met the Congress legislators.

Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Shivakumar also met Congress MLA for Ballari Rural B. Nagendra, who has been admitted to a hospital here. Mr. Nagendra is also being said to eyed by the BJP.

CLP meeting

The Congress Legislature Party will be meeting under the chairmanship of Mr. Siddaramaiah at 9 a.m. on Monday at a hotel here. Incidentally, all the Congress legislators are now put up at the hotel. “It is a formal meeting ahead of the session which resumes on Monday,” sources said.