Bangalore : The BJP government in Karnataka on Friday plunged into a major crisis with eight ministers owing allegiance to former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa tendering their resignation to CM D V Sadananda Gowda expressing their lack of confidence in the latter. The BJP has another year’s mandate till May 2013.

Public works minister C M Udasi, energy minister Shobha Karandlaje, excise minister M P Renukacharya, water resources minister Basavaraja Bommai, rural development & panchayat raj minister Jagadish Shettar, minister for animal husbandry Revu Naik Belamagi, agriculture minister Umesh Katti, housing minister V Somanna, minister for small scale industries Narasimha Nayak (Rajugouda) submitted their resignations to Gowda. However, their resignations are yet to be accepted.

The disgruntled ministers want the BJP national leadership to replace Gowda with BJP state unit president K S Eshwarappa. Apparently, a section of the BJP legislators is unhappy with Gowda’s “tight administration” as he is not entertaining any of their “requests” or “favours”.

This is not the first time that these eight ministers have resigned in favour of Yeddyurappa. On May 12, when Yeddyurappa made his fifth attempt to return as the CM, he had claimed that seven ministers had submitted their resignation to him. He had contended that he held back their resignations in the interest of the party.

The resignations sent shockwaves among the BJP national leaders, who are rushing to Bangalore this weekend to resolve the latest crisis. The BJP, which is saddled with problems in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, now has a fresh crisis at hand. It is yet to end the factional feud in Himachal.

The clash between Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and former party general secretary Sanjay Joshi has reached an all-time high. The BJP’s allies are also distancing from the saffron party, adding to the problems.

Though the BJP national leaders were aware of the Karnataka crisis, they did not attach much importance to it. The resignations come in the wake of MP and BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar declaring support for Gowda on Thursday.

Of the 117 MLAs in the Assembly, over 50 legislators still support Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa. Another 50 MLAs, including 26 hardcore RSS members, support Gowda at the behest of Ananth Kumar. Of the 50 MLAs extending support to Gowda, 11 are those who were suspended from the Assembly and reinstated later by the Supreme Court. As of now, the support for Gowda camp and Yeddyurappa camp is equally divided.

As Yeddyurappa camp realized that it lost the bargaining power following the entry of Ananth Kumar, it started this resignation threat on Friday morning. If Gowda accepts the nine ministers’ resignation, then the BJP government will fall short of the required strength to form simple majority in the Assembly. The BJP’s strength in the Assembly is 120 + 1 (Independent, who is a minister).

According to BJP sources, Gowda has several options before him to save the government. In case he accepts their resignations, the governor may be forced to ask Gowda to prove his majority on the floor of the House.

“In such a case, if the Janata Dal (Secular), which has a soft corner for Sadananda Gowda, abstains from the House, it will work in favour of the CM. He will easily win the trust motion depending on the strength of the House at that point of time. But it is premature to work out these calculations because we expect our national leaders to intervene,” sources in the BJP contended.

It will be a major problem for Gowda if more ministers and MLAs tender their resignations. “As of now, we are trying to salvage the government. We are hoping that the national leaders would be able to prevail over Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa,” Gowda’s supporters said. : India Today