As three Karnataka lawmakers went "incommunicado" on Wednesday, an orange alert went out across the Congress-Janata Dal Secular (JDS) combine, which claims enough numbers to form government after a hung verdict in the state.
A meeting of newly-elected Congress legislators was delayed in the morning as the party couldn't communicate with three of its lawmakers, Rajshekhar Patil, Narendra and Anand Singh, say sources.
Another Congress lawmaker claimed that he had been approached by the BJP.
"I got a call from the BJP leaders. They said come to us and said we'll give a ministry to you. We'll make you a minister. But, I'm going to stay here. HD Kumaraswamy is our chief minister," said Amaregouda Linganagouda Patil Bayyapur.
A JDS lawmaker Sarvanna has reportedly said four or five lawmakers were approached.
Outgoing chief minister Siddaramaiah of the Congress, however, denied such reports. "All the Congress MLAs are intact. Nobody is missing. We are confident of forming the government," he said this morning, as he arrived at the Congress party headquarters for a meeting.
Unofficially, Congress leaders say there are plans to move their legislators to a resort.
BJP leader KS Eshwarappa has reportedly admitted that his party is in touch with some Congress and JDS legislators.
The Karnataka verdict has left room for such negotiations as the BJP is desperate for numbers, alleged Congress and JDS leaders. The BJP emerged as the single largest party in results yesterday but fell short of the magic number of 112 by eight. The Congress has won 78 seats and the JDS's 38. Along with two independents, the combine claims a comfortable majority.
The fear of "MLA shopping" was raised yesterday by JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, who is looking to become chief minister with the support of the Congress.
