Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa has said that his successor HD Kumaraswamy should immediately resign, adding he had "no moral right" to continue heading a government which has "lost the majority".
The BJP will on Tuesday start a state-wide protest demanding Kumaraswamy step down immediately as his government has slipped into a "minority" following the resignation of 13 MLAs and withdrawal of support by two independent MLAs.
While 13 MLAs from ruling coalition Congress and the JD(S) resigned earlier including 12 on Saturday, two independent MLAs H Nagesh (Mulbagal constituency) and R Shankar (Ranebennur) withdrew their support to the government Monday.
We will stage demonstrations tomorrow across the state at all the district headquarters," Yeddyurappa, who is also BJP state president, told reporters in Bengaluru.
Former deputy chief minister and BJP MLA R Ashok said, "If at all he has dignity, honour and self-esteem, or if he is aware of Karnataka's culture and traditions, he should immediately resign... Do not try to stick on to the chair. You do not have the numbers," he said.
Ashok said he expected the chief minister, who returned from his US trip Sunday night, would straightaway go to the Raj Bhavan and put in his papers following the spate of resignations.
However, that did not happen and only his ministers resigned, he said.
The BJP leader said Kumaraswamy has not only lost the trust of people, but also of the MLAs and ministers.
"So Kumaraswamy has no moral right to continue in office," he said.
Echoing Ashok's views, former minister and Mahadevapura BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali demanded that Governor Vajubhai Vala immediately step in and dissolve the government, taking note of the fact that it has lost its majority.
BJP MLC N Ravikumar said the Speaker cannot hold back the resignation of the 13 MLAs for long as the disgruntled
the group has made it clear that they will not return from Mumbai where they are now put up.
"This government has slipped into a minority after the resignation of 13 MLAs and withdrawal of support by independent MLA Nagesh," he said.
Ravikumar said his party has gained significant strength following the developments in Karnataka.
The 13-month-old Kumaraswamy government suffered a major jolt with Nagesh and Shankar withdrawing support to it.
Both the MLAs have extended their support to the BJP and headed to Mumbai, BJP sources said, adding that they would join the dissident Congress and JD(S) MLAs.
The total strength of the JD(S)-Congress coalition after Nagesh and Shankar's withdrawal of support is 116 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP-1) besides the Speaker.
With Nagesh and Shankar's support, the BJP now has 107 MLAs in the House, where the half-way mark is 113.
If the resignation of the dissident MLAs are accepted by the Speaker the coalition's tally will be reduced to 103. The Speaker also has a vote.
(With inputs from PTI)
