Two Independent MLAs, H Nagesh and R Shankar, withdraw their support from the Karnataka govt. Both the MLAs say they will support the BJP. The JD-S-Cong government had denied them a ministerial berth. Nagesh and Shankar had been holed up in a hotel in Mumbai and have expressed their dissatisfaction with the government.


The BJP now is six short of forming government. Though the BJP won 104 seats in the Karnataka election, it was eight short of the majority mark of 111.


Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has alleged that the BJP was trying to lure MLAs of the ruling combine, the Opposition party made a counter attack accusing Congress-JD(S) of horse-trading, leading to a fresh political war in the state.


As the coalition government and the BJP levelled charges against each other, Kumaraswamy rubbished reports of an "instability" in his government, saying, "I have sufficient numbers for giving a stable government here, it is not necessary for Congress or JD(S) to poach the MLAs from BJP, we have sufficient numbers."