Appearing to soften their stand for the first time since they triggered a crisis for the BJP’s first government in the South, rebel party MLAs today offered to talk to central leadership but are firm on replacement of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, calling him “corrupt”.
The offer came even as the new single-judge bench of the high court today adjourned to tomorrow the hearing on the petitions by the rebel MLAs, who contended that the Speaker’s order was vitiated and perverse and their action (withdrawing support) did not attract provisions of anti-defection law.
Beleaguered Yeddyurappa, meanwhile, rejected the opposition demand for seeking a fresh mandate and asked them to wait for two-and-half years for the government to complete its term.
“If (BJP President) Nitin Gadkari calls us, we are ready to discuss,” former Minister Balachandra L Jarkiholi, a leader of 11 dissident BJP MLAs, who have withdrawn support to the party government, threatening its survival, told reporters here.
“We are in BJP, our fight is against the leadership,” said Jarkiholi, flanked by some other rebel BJP MLAs, who have challenged in the Karnataka High Court their disqualification by the Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah.
The matter was heard by Justice V G Sabhahith after it was referred to him following a split verdict by a bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N Kumar on Monday. Khehar had upheld the Speaker’s order disqualifying the 11 MLAs, while Kumar set it aside.
But Jarkiholi asserted that any talk should be held in an atmosphere of affection and trust, and “not pointing a gun to the head, like it happens in Afghanistan”.