Congress in Karnataka, battling a crisis within after two party MLAs resigned, on Wednesday exuded confidence that one of them may withdraw it while noting the other had not yet sent his letter to the Speaker.
Speaking to reporters, Congress Legislature Party Leader Siddaramaiah also reiterated his charge that the BJP was conspiring to topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition Government and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were also involved in it.
He ruled out any 'reverse operation' from Congress to try and poach BJP MLAs like its 'Operation Lotus', a strategy adopted by the party in 2008 to shore up its numbers in the Assembly by making Opposition MLAs resign and seek re-election on the saffron party ticket.
The announcement of resignations by Vijayanagara MLA Anand Singh and Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi on Monday had dealt a double blow to the 13-month old wobbly Congress-JD(S) coalition Government led by HD Kumaraswamy.
"Only Anand Singh has given (resignation), we are talking to him. He may withdraw," Siddaramaaih said in Myusuru.
Asked whether he was able to contact Singh, he said "no, we have contacted him through someone else and he has spoken to him."
"He (Singh) has given reasons like JSW Steel land issue among others, but all those cannot be reasons (for resignation). Lets talk is what I have communicated to him... we will convince him," he said, adding that disgruntlement among MLAs may be due to various reasons, but Anand Singh did not resign because he was not made Minister.
Singh, who sent in his resignation to the Speaker on Monday, had said he decided to resign over various demands, including creation of a separate Vijayangar district and cancellation of the nod for sale of 3,667 acres of land to JSW Steel in mine-rich Ballari district.
However, he had appeared to have not shut the doors fully, saying he would "wait for answers" (from the government to his demands) when asked if he would withdraw the resignation.
Maintaining that Ramesh Jarkiholi has not resigned, Siddaramaiah said his resignation has not reached the Speaker, but was only reported in the media.
Speaker Ramesh Kumar himself has said he has not received it," Siddaramaiah noted.
The Speaker too said only one legislator has sent in his resignation to him and he would act on it in accordance with rules, while he was not aware of the second MLA's resignation.
Indicating his displeasure about Singh handing over a copy of his resignation to Governor Vajubhai R Vala, the Speaker said an MLA should have a sense about whom to submit the resignation, in what way it should be done and who has the responsibility to dispose it.