Independent Legislators get into a huddle

BANGALORE: In a swift political development, five independent legislators, who were instrumental in installing the first-ever BJP government in Karnataka before falling out with the saffron party, have decided to work together.Addressing newsmen here after a meeting in which the five independent MLAs were present,  former minister Narendra Swamy described it as “routine”.The independent MLAs who met at the Legislators’ home in the evening were Goolihatti Shekhar, Sudhakar, Shivaraj Thangadi, Venkataramanappa and Narendra Swamy — all former ministers.However, the meeting assumes significance as it was held in the backdrop of a rendezvous between Goolihatti Shekhar and state BJP president K S Eshwarappa in Shimoga on Saturday.Denying that the independent MLAs decided to extend an olive branch again to the BJP, Narendra Swamy said that they had decided to take a collective decision in the future. The meeting is all the more significant in view of reports that Sriramulu, who handed  a shocking defeat to the BJP in the Bellary byelection on Sunday, might try to topple the state government.