JD(S)' last ditch efforts?

Even as JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy is buying time to save the disqualified MLAs, leader of the Opposition, Siddharamaiah, is lending his hand to topple the government, say sources

Former chief minister and JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy, under pressure to save the disqualified MLAs, is banking on the court case to buy time. Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition, Siddharamaiah, is lending a helping hand in his continued efforts to topple the Yeddyurappa government, sources say.


Never lose hope: Congress leader Siddharamaiah met Kumaraswamy
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"There is no other way for Kumaraswamy but to keep the hope alive, otherwise he will have to pay them the crores that he is not in a position now," said the source. "He is trying to buy time, while still showing the possibility of forming a parallel government, with the pending court case."

Kumaraswamy appears to have the leveraging displeasure of a Congress faction led by Siddharamaiah, and creating a situation that the two leaders have joined hands to form a parallel government.

Siddharamaiah, upset over the high command discouraging his efforts to topple the government, met Kumaraswamy yesterday, at Civil Aviation minister CM Ibrahim's residence. According to sources, they discussed about the future course of action including pulling some more MLAs from the BJP.

"Many BJP MLAs are ready to come with us," said Ibrahim. "They are so frustrated that they will opt out and the government will fall automatically." Ibrahim had played a pivotal role in reviving JD(S) in 1994 along with HD Deve Gowda. He had followed Siddharamaiah who quit the JD(S) to join the Congress in 2006.

A source said that the duo even discussed the possibility of taking back the leadersu00a0 who had joined the Congress with Siddaramaiah to JD(S). Sources said that there were hectic activities in the BJP aiming at stabilising the government after it passed the trust vote. While the discussions on making one of the Reddys Deputy Chief Minister are on, leaders are contemplating on expanding the cabinet.

Sources said that there was a possibility of expanding the cabinet with inclusion of MLAs including Raju Gowda and Vartur Prakash, while a handful of ministers, including Katta Subramanya Naidu might be let go.Prakash is an independent MLA, who switched to Reddy camp a day before Yeddyurappa won the trust vote. Katta is the IT-BT minister, who came under scanner after his councilor son was caught red-handed in a bribery case.