Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (RJP)
Bengaluru, Jul 14: The Congress-JD(S) coalition was in great relief on Saturday night after rebel MLA MTB Nagaraj announced that he was ready to withdraw his resignation. The happy news for coalition came after a 15-hour effort to convince him.
But Nagaraj also said that his withdrawal of resignation depended on what another rebel K Sudhakar decides to do. Both Nagaraj and Sudhakar had tendered resignations together. And now, Sudhakar has gone incommunicado amid speculation that he may have gone to Mumbai to join ten rebel MLS camping there.
The HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition, which is bracing for a trust vote to prove its majority, is fully utilizing the time it has and is pinning hopes on 5 to 6 rebel MLAs whose return will help tide over the crisis. And hectic efforts are being made to reach out to them.
During the floor test, HD Kumaraswamy will have to go from 101 to 108 to surpass the BJP, whose tally currently stands at 107.
Congress leader D K Shivakumar had reached Nagaraj's house first in the early morning of Saturday where he camped for nearly five hours pacifying him. Shivakumar was joined by deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and other leaders. Nagaraj was then taken to CLP leader Siddaramaiah, who spent another couple of hours trying to convince to withdraw resignation. Later Kumaraswamy came to Siddaramaiah's residence where he held talks with Nagaraj.
"I will remain with the party. But other few things I will decide after consulting Sudhakar. Wherever he is, I will contact him by Sunday afternoon and convince him. We had decided that we would be together in staying or leaving. Now I have to convince him to stay. If he does not come back, what will I do alone?" Nagaraj said speaking to reporters.
It is said that Nagaraj was unhappy with the ‘interference’ of Kumaraswamy's brother, PWD minister HD Revanna in governance affairs, among other issues.
"We have decided to forget the bad things of the past and stay united," D K Shivakumar said.
Another ray of hope came from senior leader Ramalinga Reddy when he said he would attend the Assembly session on Monday. "I have to attend a hearing of the Speaker over my resignation on Monday. Till then, I will not comment on any political development," Reddy said.
Reddy's return, sources say, will have a bearing on other Bengaluru MLAs who have resigned - ST Somashekhar, Munirathna and Byrati Basavaraj. Also, the party is trying to convince another senior MLA R Roshan Baig.
Siddaramaiah expressed confidence that other rebels will be back before the confidence vote is moved.