After the Congress leaders in Karnataka began backchannel negotiations with disgruntled MLAs to persuade them to withdraw their resignations, one of them Saturday hinted that he might return to the Congress and even 'try to persuade others'.
Karnataka political crisis took this twist when Congress' troubleshooter and Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar met Housing Minister M T B Nagaraj at about 5 AM Saturday and camped there for almost over four hours, trying to pacify him.
Following the meeting between Shivakumar and Nagaraj, the rebel Congress MLA was quoted by IANS as saying: "Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao called me and requested me to withdraw the resignation and stay in the party. I have sought time to mull over it.
"I told them I will speak to Chikkaballapura MLA Sudhakar and persuade him to withdraw his resignation. We are planning to stay here only," Nagaraj said.
He was flanked by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Shivakumar and other Congress leaders.
To a query on whether all the differences were sorted out, Nagaraj said he had resigned due to certain "discontentment" and that there was disagreement in every political party.
"The party high-command is trying to persuade the MLAs. I will also try my best to help them in their efforts," he added.
Shivakumar said that Nagaraj had assured him that he will withdraw his resignation. "There are ups and downs in every family. We should forget everything and move forward. Happy that MTB Nagaraj has assured us he will stay with us," ANI quoted Shivakumar as saying.
Nagaraj had resigned from the MLA post on Wednesday.
The efforts to reach the dissident MLAs intensified a day after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy made a surprise announcement in the Assembly that he would seek a trust vote. It also comes a day after the Supreme Court directed the Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to maintain status quo on the rebel MLAs' resignation and disqualification till July 16.
Backchannel negotiations are also being attempted with MLAs Ramalinga Reddy, Munirathna and R Roshan Baig.
Sources in the Janata Dal (Secular) said Kumaraswamy was in direct talks with at least four Congress legislators, who had resigned, and was hopeful that they would withdraw their resignations.
Triggering speculation, a group of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, led by MLA S R Vishwanath, met Ramalinga Reddy at his residence.
However, Reddy refused to comment on the development, saying he would not speak on politics till July 15 as he had to appear before the Assembly speaker.
Meanwhile, his daughter and Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy said she had no information about the meeting.
The Karnataka coalition government is facing a serious crisis now with 16 MLAs - 13 of the Congress and three of the JD(S) - resigning from the Assembly.
(With Agency Inputs)
