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Municipal Administration Minister Bhalachandra Jarkiholi on Wednesday threatened to pull down the Bharatiya Janata Party government if Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda was replaced.
"It requires the support of 113 members of Legislative Assembly to save the government and a mere 13 legislators to pull it down," he told reporters.
His statement comes a day after State BJP President K S Eshwarappa entered the fray and declared he would like to be the next Chief Minister in case Gowda steps down and also attempts by loyalists of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to get Jagadish Shettar installed as the post.
Jarkiholi said he would not be a 'silent observer' if Yeddyurappa's supporters tried to replace Gowda. "God has blessed us with the strength (numbers) to pull the government down. We will do it by submitting resignation letter," he said.
He said he would endorse convening of the BJP legislature party meet, but not tolerate Gowda's replacement as chief minister.
The rapid developments have forced the BJP leadership to rush its Karnataka in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan to the city to end the crisis. Pradhan is expected here tomorrow to resolve the issue, according to party sources.
With Yeddyurappa facing a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry in the illegal mining issue, his camp is gunning for Gowda. Yeddyurappa loyalists, including Ministers C M Udasi, M P Renukacharya, Basavaraja Bommai and Murugesh Nirani have for long been pressing for a legislator party meeting to discuss legislators' grievances but in reality to challenge Gowda's leadership.
Gowda has shied away from calling such a meeting, saying he would do so only with approval of the party's leadership. Assembly elections in Karnataka are due in May 2013.