BJP lures three Opposition MLAs to improve position in Assembly

With a view to strengthening its position in the Assembly, the ruling BJP managed to lure three Opposition MLAs – two from the JD (S) and one from the Congress – into the party fold.

The three MLAs, who have tendered their resignation to the Assembly, have decided to contest the by-polls from their respective assembly constituencies as BJP candidates.

The entry of the three MLAs – Balachandra Jharkiholi and Shivananda Naik of JD (S) and Anand Asnotikar of Congress – is understood to be part of the B S Yeddyurappa-led Government’s strategy to improve the BJP’s tally in the Karnataka Assembly, which is still three short of majority.

The three MLAs joined the BJP at the party office in Bangalore on Saturday evening in the presence of BJP’s Karnataka unit President D V Sadananda Gowda and Minister for Health and Family Welfare B Sriramulu.

The three MLAs told reporters that they had decided to quit their parent parties, as they would like to be in the ruling party and serve the people of their constituencies in a better manner.

Welcoming them into the BJP fold, Sadananda Gowda said the three MLAs were impressed with the Yeddyurappa-led Government’s programmes and policies. They were also disillusioned with the parties on whose symbol they had won the recent assembly elections, Gowda said. “They are joining the BJP without setting any pre-conditions”, the BJP leader added

Earlier, the trio, accompanied by Sriramulu, called on Speaker of Karnataka Assembly Jagadish Shettar and submitted their resignation from the Assembly. The Speaker told reporters later that the resignation of the three MLAs had been accepted them as they were found to be in order.

Shettar said he would now resignation letters to the Election Commission, which is expected to hold by-polls within the next six months.

The resignation of the three MLAs is expected to give a major boost to the BJP’s prospects for improving its tally in the Assembly. With strength of 110 in the 224-member Assembly, the BJP requires three more seats to cross the half-way mark.
Presently, the BJP Government is dependent on the support of six independent MLAs, five of whom have been made Ministers in the Yeddyurappa-led Cabinet. But, the swift and strategic move by the BJP to improve its own tally in the Assembly has sent a strong message to the independents, whose next move is awaited with a lot curiosity in political circles.