1 more rebel K'taka MLA arrives in Mumbai, count now 15
Mumbai: Rebel Karnataka Congress MLA MTB Nagaraj, who submitted his resignation to the Assembly Speaker on July 10, arrived in Mumbai Sunday afternoon, taking the total number of MLAs in the metropolis to 15, sources here said.
Earlier, news channels in the southern state had shown visuals of Nagaraj boarding a chartered flight.
"He has arrived here in the afternoon and is in the hotel where some other legislators are camping," sources said, adding that the Hoskote MLA was accompanied by BJP leader R Ashok.
Leaders of the Congress-JD(S) coalition had held talks with Nagaraj on Saturday in a bid to woo him back.
Nagaraj had maintained that he intended to take a final decision on the withdrawal of his resignation after talks with Chikkaballapura MLA K Sudhakar, both of whom resigned together on July 10.
"Sudhakar has switched off his phone, and is not available for last two days. After pacifying and convincing Sudhakar, I will try to bring him back. Because we both had resigned together, so we want to be united. I have informed this to Congress leaders," Nagaraj had told reporters in Bengaluru before leaving his residence.
The HD Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka is on the brink of collapse with 16 MLAs, comprising 13 from the Congress and three from the JD(S), resigning their Assembly memberships. Two Independent MLAs have also withdrawn support to the government there and are supporting the opposition BJP.
The ruling coalition's strength in the House is 116 (Congress 78, JD(S) 37 and BSP one), besides the speaker.
With the support of two Independents, the opposition BJP has 107 MLAs in the 224-member House.
If the resignations of the 16 MLAs are accepted, the ruling coalition's tally will be reduced to 100. The speaker has a vote too.
