Mangaluru :  The BJP district commitee staged protest Seeking the resignation of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday that the coalition government in the State has been reduced to a minority with the resignation of 14 MLAs, including those from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular).

Staging a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the BJP leaders said that Mr. Kumaraswamy has lost moral right to continue in the post.

Addressing a gathering, N. Yogish Bhat, former Deputy Speaker and former MLA from Mangaluru City South, said that the State government is on “ventilator”.

Mr. Bhat said that development projects in the State have come to a standstill and the Chief Minister is bothered about only saving his chair.

He said that the Chief Minister is interested in finalising the “JSW land deal” rather than addressing drought and drinking water issues.

“There is a high drama and high conspiracy within the coalition partners in bringing down the government,” Mr. Bhat said.

The former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is behind the efforts to destabilise the government, he said.

The former MLA said that among those who have resigned from the Congress included close confidants of Mr. Siddaramaiah.

Ganesh Karnik, former MLC, said that if Mr. Kumaraswamy believed in democracy, he should quit immediately.

The State is witnessing “bad governance” from the hold of a “single family” over the administration in the coalition government, Mr. Karnik said.

K. Monappa Bhandary, former MLC, and other leaders were present.