BENGALURU: BJP legislators from the Karnataka assembly and council including former CMs BS Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue next to the Vidhana Soudha premises demanding the resignation of CM HD Kumaraswamy.
Several state BJP leaders, including former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa, took part in the protest led by state president B S Yeddyurappa in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue at the Vidhana Soudha.
The BJP leaders termed the coalítion government as shameless and without morals. Shettar said the government is not bothered about the drought in the state and the distress of farmers.
"We thought the CM would resign soon after coming from the US. If he has any shame, he must resign. There is so much dealmaking happening even while the government is shaking," he said.
Senior leader KS Eshwarappa took on speaker Ramesh Kumar for not accepting the resignations of all the MLAs.
"Ramesh Kumar accepted five resignations and rejected eight. Looks like he is bargaining and making money. This is shameful,'' he said.
Yeddyurappa said, "After this meeting, we are going to meet the governor. The administration has failed. We will tell the governor to direct Kumaraswamy to resign."
A delegation of BJP leaders is also expected to meet Speaker Ramesh Kumar and apprise him on the situation.
The former chief minister has been holding a series of meetings with party leaders for the last couple of days regarding the ongoing political developments and BJP's plan of action.
During the protest, Yeddyurappa asked Kumaraswamy to resign immediately and make way for BJP to form the government.
"The assembly session starts from July 12. How will you have the session with no majority Mr Kumaraswamy?" he asked, adding that Kumaraswamy should voluntarily resign."
"We expected your father and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda will advice (you to resign)," Yeddyurappa said.
Pointing out that Congress-JD(S) MLAs who have resigned have moved the Supreme Court, he said he expected a judgement tomorrow.
As Congress leader and state minister D K Shivakumar stood on vigil outside a hotel in Mumbai to meet the rebels MLAs, BJP protesters here raised slogans like "Down, down to the government that has lost majority. Down, down to CM who wants to stick on to the chair".
Yeddyurappa told reporters he was unable to understand why the speaker was delaying the process of accepting the resignations.
"If the resignation is not in format, MLAs will come and give it in correct format. That's another matter," he said.
Noting that Kumar was unanimously elected speaker and the BJP has trust in him, Yeddyurappa said he should hear legal experts and take immediate action in accordance with the law.
To a query on the Speaker's reported visit to the residence of senior advocate along with a minister, the senior BJP leader said Kumar could have instead called him to his office.
Yeddyurappa also questioned the speaker's silence on Shivakumar allegedly tearing the resignation letter of an MLA at the Speakers Chambers when 12 MLAS had gone to submit their resignation on Saturday.
On Shivakumar attempting to reach out to MLAs staying at a hotel in Mumbai, Yeddyurappa said, "We have nothing to do with it. It is a matter between Shivakumar and MLAs who are there."
Of the 16 legislators who resigned, 11 are from the Congress, three from Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and one each from regional outfit Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) and an Independent.
Suspended Congress lawmaker R. Roshan Baig resigned on Tuesday, while KPJP legislator R. Shankar and Independent H. Nagesh resigned on Monday as ministers and withdrew their support to the government.
From 116 -- 115 of the Congress-JD and one of BSP, the combined strength of the ruling allies will now be reduced to 100 less than 113, the halfway mark for a simple majority. With the present Assembly strength reduced to 209, the new halfway mark will be 105.
Meanwhile, the Congress and JD-S have also announced holding a protest march to the Raj Bhavan later in the day against the BJP's alleged poaching of their legislators in a bid to topple their 13-month-old government.
(With Inputs from Agencies)