The MLAs, who stayed at the Fortune Select Palm in Thoraipakkam on the Old Mahabalipuram Road on the outskirts of Chennai, decided to shift base on Wednesday.
Even as chief minister BS Yeddyurappa sacked four ministers for rebellion, the 20 MLAs continued to be defiant.
The MLAs, who stayed at the Fortune Select Palm in Thoraipakkam on the Old Mahabalipuram Road on the outskirts of Chennai, decided to shift base on Wednesday.
Talks with emissaries of the chief minister, home minister R Ashoka, health minister Sriramulu and major irrigation minister Basavaraj Bommai failed to end the crisis.
“Our biggest complaint against Yeddyurappa is that there is no development in our constituencies. No schemes have been envisaged for the growth of our constituencies,” said one of the dismissed ministers, Shivaraj Thangadagi.
Though the MLAs refused to divulge their next destination, they said that they would reach Bangalore on the day Yeddyurappa is expected to prove his majority. That date has been set for October 11.
“Neither the Congress nor JD(S) has approached us so far seeking support. We have not thought about such a situation so far. We will consider it if they talk to us,” rebel minister Balachandra Jarkiholi said.
“We made it clear to the peace emissaries that we will not join the cabinet and there is no question of going back on the withdrawal of support to this government,” he stated.
MLA Sarvabhouma Bagali, however, struck a slightly different note. He said that the rebels would support a JD(S)-Congress combine.
“Naturally, we have withdrawn support for that purpose,” Bagali said, in response to a query.
While the MLAs kept mum on their next destination, it became clear that they did not want to stay in Chennai. Six MLAs, including Gopalkrishna Belur of Sagar constituency, later left for Kochi, apparently en route to Dubai.
Karnataka home minister R Ashoka, who tried to pacify the rebels, blamed the JD(S) for trying to break the BJP. He pleaded with the rebels not to betray lakhs of party workers.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}