Bengaluru, January 20: A day after Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa virtually gave up the fight to destabilise the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, reports emerged on Sunday that four Congress MLAs, who were absent at the CLP meeting on Friday, are likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The disgruntled legislators - Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumatalli Umesh, Jadhav and B Nagendra - will face anti-defection laws if they don't resign.

The Congress has issued show-cause notices to Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumatalli for not attending the CLP meeting. There was "circumstantial evidence" to prove that both had defied the party's diktat to join the meeting, Congress sources told TOI. Umesh Jadhav cited "technical issues" for his inability to attend the CLP meeting. However, he is set to join the BJP as he is offered Kalaburagi Lok Sabha seat to take on Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge. Karnataka Political Crisis: BS Yeddyurappa Says 'Won't Destabilise Congress-JDS Coalition Government'.

B Nagendra is likely to follow the suit. The Congress on Saturday held a meeting of its legislators to discuss the political situation in the state. "The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meet was held at Eagleton Resort. The meet discussed present political situation, drought situation and issues regarding Budget proposals," the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said in a statement. Karnataka: BJP Trying to Topple Congress-JDS Government? Here's The Number Game.

Congress MLAs were shifted to the private resort on the city outskirts on Friday night after a CLP meeting was chaired by CLP leader Siddaramaiah at the state legislature building Vidhana Soudha, as a show of legislators' strength. The Congress party over the past week has been accusing the opposition BJP of allegedly poaching its legislators.

Meanwhile, over 100 BJP legislators, who were housed in two hotels in Haryana for the last five days, returned to their homes on Saturday. "I have directed all our MLAs in the resort to come to Bengaluru. They have all left, they are all coming (back). Now our work is to tour the drought-affected areas where people are suffering and try to address the problems they are facing," Yeddyurappa said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 20, 2019 03:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).