H.D. Kumaraswamy’s coalition government will collapse before May 23: B.S. Yeddyurappa

Shivamogga/Hassan: State BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa claimed on Tuesday that the coalition government in the state could fall under its own pressures even before the results of the Lok Sabha poll were out on May 23.

Speaking to reporters after voting in Shikaripura , a part of the Shivamogga parliamentary constituency that his son, B.Y. Raghavendra is fighting to retain, Mr Yeddyurappa said "It will be no surprise if the state government falls before May 23 when counting of votes takes place in the country. Both former CM Siddaramaiah and home minister, M.B. Patil, seem to be keen on becoming Chief Minister, which is bound to lead to internal bickering."

He claimed that over 20 Congress MLAs were unhappy with their party's tie-up with JD(S) and H.D. Kumaraswamy as CM. But he denied his party would try to poach the unhappy Congress legislators. “No Operation Lotus,” he said.

Mr Yeddyurappa maintained that senior Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge would lose from Kalaburagi and challenged JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda to win from Tumakuru.

As for the BJP, he claimed it would win 10 seats in the first phase of elections and 12 in the second phase, taking its tally to 22 from Karnataka. Responding to his comments, Mr Kumaraswamy said at Channarayapatna in Hassan district that he would enjoy the “drama” if any, by unhappy legislators threatening to resign and destabilise his government. “I will sit and enjoy the resignation drama by disgruntled MLAs like as if it was an episode from a TV serial,” he said.

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