BENGALURU: After initially deciding to tread cautiously before staking his claim to form the new government, the BJP’s sudden move to meet Governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday morning and swear in BS Yediyurappa as Chief Minister by evening took everyone by surprise.
While it was apparent to anyone who saw Yediyurappa in the Assembly that he was keen to take charge as CM, the rebel MLAs camping in Pune are the real reason for Friday’s rush and a change in the BJPs unhurried plans. While they were keeping a brave front, the rebels were rattled by the disqualification of three MLAs, announced by Speaker Ramesh Kumar.
Sources said that it was the rebel MLAs who insisted that Yediyurappa take the oath and prove his majority at the earliest. They made it clear that they would return to Bengaluru only after he proved his majority in a floor test. Some even hinted that they wanted to be back by Monday.
Friday being an auspicious day, the MLAs managed to convince the BJP state President to stake his claim. Speaking to The New Indian Express, a rebel MLA said, “We are ready to get disqualified as well as we hear that the Congress and JDS are preparing to issue a new whip to their MLAs to vote against Yediyurappa during the confidence vote.”
During this time, the rebel MLAs are also contemplating moving the Supreme Court to direct the Speaker to accept their resignations as they were in order. Rebel MLA and former JDS state president A H Vishwanath said that they would not go back on their decision to quit and were ready to face any action taken against them.
While remaining defiant about not returning back to their parties, the MLAs are however also looking at legal options before them to ensure their political careers are not ended in the bargain. They are also using their lieutenants on the ground to reach out to their voter base and continue work in their constituencies, preparing to take on the Congress and the JDS in the bypolls.