BANGALORE, Jan 20: The three-year-old Janata Dal government in Karnataka, headed by J H Patel, has plunged into deep crisis with three ministers resigning and joining the Rashtriya Nava Nirmana Vedike, a non-political organisation headed by Lok Shakti leader Ramakrishna Hegde today. Three other Janata Dal MLAs also joined the Vedike along with the ministers.Meanwhile, a special session of the Karnataka Assembly may be convened on January 27 for a trial of strength following the resignations.The cleverly opted `defection' by the three Ministers - Medium and Large Scale Minister R V Deshpande, Youth Services and Sports Minister Ajay Kumar Sarnaik and Revenue Minister Ramesh C Jigajinagi - was according to them ``not an attempt to topple the Patel Government, but their disenchantment with the party leadership.The three MLAs, B R Yavagal from Navalgund, Kallolappa Sabanna Beelagi of Byadagi and Govind Makatappa Karjol of Mudhol said: ``It is the dynastic rule (referring to former Prime Minister Deve Gowda) we oppose and we still feel sorry to take this harsh decision to leave Patel.''Though all the six maintained that their joining the Vedike was not an attempt to destabilise the Patel ministry, their intentions became clear when none of them resigned from Janata Dal.Their move to stay in the party and also openly associate with Hegde without joining his party has already created confusion among party workers. The developments might not pose any immediate threat to the Government as long as the party continues to have a minimum strength of 112 in the Assembly. The party at present has 112 members. Besides, it enjoys the support of 10 associate members. The total strength of the House is 225.
