MH-KARNATAKA-NCP

Launching a frontal attack on the

BJP over the political developments in Karnataka, the NCP

Tuesday said the saffron party's efforts to "dislodge" the

Congress-JD(S) dispensation were aimed at creating a public

perception ahead of Lok Sabha polls that alliance governments

are unstable.

NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJP

would not succeed in its alleged bid to poach some MLAs of

Congress for dislodging the H D Kumaraswamy government in the

southern state.

Malik's comments came on a day two Independent MLAs in

Karnataka withdrew support to the alliance government,

triggering a political firestorm.

As the move set off speculations over survival of the

seven-month old dispensation, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy

ruled out any threat of stability to his ministry.

The ruling Congress and opposition BJP have levelled

charges of horse-trading against each other, as the two MLAs

who withdrew the support are staying in a hotel in Mumbai.

"The BJP will not be able to form government in

Karnataka, as the numbers are not stacked in its favour,"

Malik told reporters.

He said the BJP's political manoeuvring was aimed at

"creating a perception among the people ahead of the general

polls that alliance governments are unstable".

The BJP wanted to project it among voters as

politically indispensable, Malik added.

In the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, BJP has 104

members, Congress-79, JD(S) 37, BSP, KPJP and Independent one

each, besides Speaker. BSP, KPJP and an Independent are

supporting the coalition.

In 2018, the Congress and the JD(S) had formed a

coalition government in the southern state after BJP leader BS

Yeddyurappa, who was sworn-in as Chief Minister, resigned

ahead of taking floor test to prove majority in the same

month.

Amid charges and counter-charges of horse-trading

between BJP and Congress, the saffron party has shifted its

flock of 104 MLAs to a resort in Haryana's Nuh district.

Karnataka Water Resource Minister D K Shivakumar had

said that three Congress MLAs were camping at a hotel in

Mumbai in the "company of some BJP leaders".