Determined to not take back their resignations, the 13 dissenting Karnataka MLAs from both Congress and the Janata Dal Secular have plunged the state politics into turmoil with the possibility of the HD Kumaraswamy-led government coming apart at the seams.
CM Kumaraswamy returned from a private visit to the United States on Sunday and held a series of meetings but all of these could not ensure an assured lifeline for either him or the 13-month old coalition government that has always been on shaky wicket. With most of the dissenting MLAs from both parties camped in Mumbai, the city's Sofitel Hotel has become quite the epicentre of political developments. A number of attempts have reportedly been made by both Congress and JDS to placate their respective MLAs - all to no avail.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara called for a breakfast meeting among all Congress ministers in the Karnataka government and there is a possibility that some of them may be asked to step down to make way for some or all of the dissenting MLAs to get ministerial berths. Sources also say that a compromise formula could be in the works with either former CM Siddaramaiah returning to power or senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge replacing Kumaraswamy.