'Opposition MLAs' exodus into BJP will continue', says Karnataka BJP leader

Hinting that exodus of opposition MLAs into the BJP will continue, party state general secretary Arvind Limbavali on Monday claimed that several JD(S) legislators were in touch with them and have expressed "desire" to join it. The senior BJP legislator, who is also the party's convener for the December 5 bypolls, has said that JD(S) leaders' statements hinting at supporting the BJP government in the state if it fails to garner the required number of seats in the bypoll, display their "insecurity."

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JD(S) legislators express a desire to join BJP

"In Karnataka, several JD(S) legislators have expressed a desire to join BJP. That is the reason JD(S) leaders are saying that BJP will face defeat in this bypolls, they will lose majority and at such a situation we will support the BJP and save the government. By saying such things they (JDS) are showcasing their insecurity," Limbavali said. Speaking to reporters, he said, "several JD(S) legislators were in touch with BJP, let the bypolls be over, we will tell how many of them."

JD(S) leaders, who have indicated that they don't want mid-term polls, have already started a call will be taken on the party's role, in case the ruling BJP loses the majority, only after the results on December 9. The bypolls was necessitated after the resignation and absence of 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators from the trust vote, which led to the collapse of the H D Kumaraswamy headed coalition government and paved the way for BJP to come to power. The 17 legislators were subsequently disqualified by the then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar.

The ruling BJP needs to win at least six seats

However, the Supreme Court which heard the MLAs petition challenging the disqualification recently, allowed them to contest the bypolls. With winning majority seats crucial for the government's survival, the BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators who joined the party as its candidates from their respective constituencies. The ruling BJP needs to win at least six seats in the bypolls to remain in a majority in the 224-member assembly, which will still have two vacant seats-- Maski and R R Nagar. Among the 15 constituencies going to bypolls, 12 were held by the Congress and 3 by the JD(S), whose coalition government collapsed due to rebellion by the disqualified MLAs. 

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