Both Congress and JD(S) have asserted that the lawmakers pulling out will not affect their coalition
Brushing aside any threat to the HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in Karnataka after two MLAs withdrew support, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Tuesday said the alliance government would continue despite the BJP's "ugly and dirty" horse-trading attempts.
Mr Venugopal alleged that the MLAs of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) ruling combine were being offered a "lot of things" by the BJP to switch sides.
"We are confident that the Kumaraswamy government will continue. Even though they are offering a lot of things to our MLAs, we are very confident," he said.
"We are in touch with all our MLAs. Our people are with us. Our government will continue," he added.
Speaking to reporters after a marathon meeting with Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mr Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar and others, Venugopal alleged that the BJP has been attempting to pull down the government since the day Mr Kumaraswamy took over.
Lashing out at the BJP, the Congress leader said, "Ugly, dirty attempt of horse-trading being made by the BJP is creating this situation. I wonder why the ruling party of the country is doing things like this."
"The day the Kumaraswamy government was sworn in, they (BJP) started these types of things. What message are they giving? They are keeping their MLAs in a resort," Mr Venugopal said.