The BJP-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka, home to the global IT city of Bangalore, could fall after BJP withdrew support in a power-sharing row on Saturday. The BJP said it was pulling out of the government as the JD-S party, which leads the coalition, is not handing power to the BJP for the next 20 months, as was agreed between the two. Leaders of the BJP, which has 79 legislators in the 224-member state Assembly, will meet Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Sunday and formally withdraw support, they said. This will reduce the government to a minority and could force Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to resign if he is not able to save the government with the help of the Congress, with 65 MLAs. If all efforts to save the government fail, fresh elections could be held in the state."This is a worst kind of betrayal in the political history of India," senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said, accusing Kumaraswamy of reneging on the power-sharing promise. "This government has to be dismissed," said state BJP spokesman Suresh Kumar. "We will go the people. The JD-S will be taught a lesson for its betrayal." Chief Minister Kumaraswamy said he was not fulfilling the power-sharing agreement as he was worried about BJP's 'communal and divisive' politics. "I am prepared to go back on my promise for the sake of my party and people of Karnataka," Kumaraswamy told a rally on Friday.
