Bengaluru sources stated that as the BJP is expected to stake claim to form the next government in Karnataka, its legislature party meeting was held on Wednesday. Meanwhile this comes a day after the Congress-JDS government in the state collapsed after it lost the confidence vote, garnering 99 votes against the 105 to the BJP in the assembly, ending the nearly three week long high political drama.
Furthermore the coalition needed 103 votes in its favor to win the motion as 20 MLAs Congress-JDS (17), BSP (1), Independents (2) skipped proceedings, reducing the effective strength of the House to 205. BJP state general secretary C T Ravi told "We will have the legislative party meeting today and will wait for the directions from the parliamentary board. It might have come... Next we will stake claim to form the government". Reportedly the meeting began at 11.30 AM to decide the next step. The party approached Governor Vajubhai Vala on Thursday and stake claim to form the government.
Moreover a large number of BJP leaders and workers thronged the party office here as the lodestone of power shifted from the coalition partners Congress and JD(S), to BJP. Previously HD Kumaraswamy submitted his resignation to the Karnataka governor shortly after losing the confidence motion in the assembly, capping an intense power struggle triggered by a raft of resignations by rebel MLAs that pushed the government to the brink of collapse.
