Karnataka crisis: BSY asked to prove majority by Oct 12

BANGALORE: On a day of swift developments, 20 MLAs have withdrawn support to the B S Yeddyurappa government, according to rebel leader P M Narendraswamy after meeting Governor H R Bhardwaj. The Governor has asked Yeddyurappa to prove majority by Oct 12.

Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa issued a warning minutes after the MLAs — 15 of the ruling BJP and five independents — submitted a letter to the Governor declaring withdrawal of support in fast paced political developments which threatened the stability of the maiden BJP government in the South. .

Earlier in the day, the chief minister sacked four dissident ministers and accused the opposition Congress and JDS of attempting to topple his government.

Yeddyurappa recommended to Governor H R Bhardwaj to drop from the Cabinet — Shivaraj Thangadagi, Venkataramanappa, P M Narendraswamy and D Sudhakar.

The sacked ministers were independents who had lent crucial support to Yeddyurappa when the BJP failed to get majority in the May 2008 Assembly polls. Yeddyurappa said two-three senior ministers would be asked to quit to pave way for induction of five or six new faces into his Cabinet shortly.

"We are fully confident that the BJP government will prove its majority according to the mandate given by the people whenever such an occasion arises on the floor of the House", he told reporters.

Yeddyurappa accused the Congress of continuing its "habit" of entering into an "immoral relationship" with the JDS to topple a democratically-elected government.

"For the first time in the history of Karnataka, each legislator is offered between Rs 20 crore and Rs 30 crore (to shift loyalty) and it (money) already been handed over to their family members", the chief minister alleged but didn't elaborate.

In a related development, senior JDS leader M C Nanaiah met the Governor and sought his "intervention" contending that there is a "constitutional crisis" in the state, where "anarchy" is prevailing as far as the Government is concerned.