New Delhi: BJP on Friday remained unfazed by the Supreme Court verdict quashing Karnataka Assembly Speaker's decision disqualifying 11 party MLAs and five Independents and insisted that the BS Yeddyurappa government was in no danger.
"The Supreme Court has thrown 11 of these 16 MLAs into the BJP camp. And we have won three by-elections," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.
Party sources maintained that the 11 BJP MLAs who had rebelled - leading to their disqualification by the Speaker under the Anti-Defection Law - were likely to support the government.
"When these MLAs had rebelled, they only wanted Yeddyurappa to be removed from the post of chief minister. Even at that time they wanted to come back once they realised the party high command would not yield to their request. But then Yeddyurappa put his foot down," a party leader said.
BJP sources maintained that the party had anticipated this eventuality - where the SC verdict may go against it - and made preparations for the same.
"Our senior leaders had got in touch with the 11 rebel MLAs and they are not going against us," a leader confided.
The victory in three by-elections on Friday has further strengthened the party.
Yeddyurappa is said to be confident of arranging the required numbers if things come to such a pass, party leaders said.
BJP has 106 MLAs while an Independent is also with Yeddyurappa. With three more seats won today, the strength of the party in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly has risen to 110.
While BJP is confident that the 11 rebel MLAs will now fall in line and support the government, it is also hopeful that some of the five Independents who were disqualified earlier may also be amenable.
Jaitley, meanwhile, denied that the government should test its strength afresh after this verdict.
"The question does not arise. The by-election results are an example of the popularity of our government in the state," he said.
Cong welcomes SC ruling on Karnataka MLAs
Congress on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court order quashing Karnataka Assembly Speaker's decision to disqualify 16 MLAs ahead of the no confidence motion last year which had ensured survival of the B S Yeddyurappa Government.
Party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi, however, steered clear of questions whether it would work along with JD-S to provide an alternative to the BJP dispensation in the state.
"It is too much to comment at this moment," he said.
He said the apex Court order showed that the earlier judgement of the lower court on the issue was "not correct."
"It is for the state party to decide," he said when asked whether the Congress would again press the BJP government to prove its majority in the Assembly.
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