Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy to reach Bengaluru this evening amid turmoil

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will be flying back to India from the US on Sunday evening.

Kumaraswamy had to cut short his visit due to the ongoing political turmoil triggered in the state in his absence.

The JD(S) has called for a legislative party meeting today evening.

Meanwhile, a meeting took place between senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda in the backdrop of the dramatic developments in the state.

Karnataka coalition government of Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress on Saturday slumped into crisis following the resignation of their 11 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly.

However, JD(S) MLA H Vishwanath claimed that 14 MLAs have jointly tendered resignations to Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and requested him to accept them. The Speaker, however, has not yet accepted the resignations.

Siddaramaiah late on Saturday evening held a meeting with his party MLAs where he is believed to have discussed among other things the current political situation in the state. The meeting took place at his house.

The strength of the ruling coalition in Karnataka has come down to 105, which is eight short of the half-way mark of 113 for a majority.

Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarkiholi resigned from the government earlier this week.

Those MLAs, who resigned from the Assembly, include BC Patil, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda, S Hebbar, Mahesh Kumatalli, Gopalayya, Ramesh Jarkiholi, and Pratap Gowda Patil. The dissident MLAs have reached Mumbai and are staying in Sofitel hotel.