Bangalore: The Karnataka BJP core committee decides in principle to issue showcause notices to 14 BJP MLAs, 7 MLCs and some BJP MPs who attended former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa's meeting on Sunday. Karnataka BJP will consult with BJP high command and send showcause notices in the next couple of days.
Including the 14 rebels, the BJP has 118 members in the assembly. It also has the support of one Independent who is a cabinet minister. The Congress has 71 members and the Janata Dal-Secular 26. There are six other independents while two seats are vacant. There is one nominated member.
BJP sources had earlier said the party might try to wear down Yeddyurappa loyalists which would help it remain in power till the election due in less than six months. The assembly's term expires May next. This strategy would help the party to keep taunting Yeddyurappa to show courage and pull the down the government, which he is reluctant because of the caste factor. His main support base is among the Lingayats, who constitute around 17 percent of the state's 65 million population and are present in large number in north Karnataka.
Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, like Yeddyurappa, belongs to Lingayat community and hails from the north Karnataka town of Hubli, 90 km from here and 400 km from Bangalore. With elections so near, Yeddyurappa can ill afford to go to people carrying the blame not just of toppling the government headed by a fellow Lingayat but a leader from north Karnataka as people in the region have a grouse that the area is neglected compared to southern and coastal areas of the state.
In view of these factors, the BJP issued showcause notice to the 14 assembly members and five legislative council members on why action should not be taken for sharing the dais with Yeddyurappa at his Karnataka Janata Party's formal launch Sunday at Haveri, about 70km from here.
Further action would be based on the reply of these rebels. Meanwhile, Shettar scotched speculation that he was contemplating cabinet reshuffle. The 34-strong cabinet has two vacancies. One was created by the sacking of Cooperation Minister BJ Puttaswamy for backing Yeddyurappa and another following resignation of Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Valyapure who has decided to join the former chief minister's party. Shettar said on Tuesday that he had no plans to change the portfolios of ministers or filling the vacancies.
(With additional information from IANS)
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