Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday asked the JD(S) MLAs not to damage the party and choose a leader among themselves if they were unhappy with him. He also made it clear that he will not destabilise the BJP government in the state, which got a majority after winning 12 seats in the recent bypolls, describing it as stable and "pious." The former chief minister appealed to his MLAs not to indulge in squabbling and anti-party activities.
"Some MLAs had said that they were ignored in the party. I am ready to work for strengthening the party to build the organisation. In future if we come to power.. you can take the responsibility and choose a chief minister among yourselves. This I say openly," the JD(S) leader said at a press conference.
Kumaraswamy was replying to a query that there were indications that a few JD(S) MLAs may quit as had happened in July this year when three JD(S) MLAs joined the 14 rebel Congress MLAs and toppled the coalition government led by him.
Barring one, the rest of the rebels joined the BJP, contested the assembly bypolls as BJP candidates and 11 out of 13 rebels won.
Rumours were rife that a sizeable number of JD(S) MLAs were likely to join the BJP.
Chamundeshwari JD(S) MLA G T Deve Gowda said recently that he would take a call (about switching the party) after assessing the political situation three years later at the time of the next assembly polls.
"Can I hold them (JD-S MLAs) back if they wish to quit the party? I believe that they will remain in the party but I am least bothered who goes where.
In recent days, we cannot predict who is going where," Kumaraswamy said.
Referring to the BJP government, he said: "Now they have got a clear majority. There is a stable and pious government. Let them (BJP) run it. I am not going to disturb this government.
We will not go for horse-trading and poach the disgruntled BJP MLAs," the JD(S) leader said, adding that that his only objective was to see that the people of the state were benefited.