Bengaluru: Around 40 Congress MLAs, including former major irrigation minister M B Patil, B C Patil, M T B Nagaraj and others, are planning to boycott the upcoming Belagavi session of the state legislature, to pressurize the party leadership into take up the cabinet expansion at the earliest. The rebel MLAs, led by municipal administration minister Ramesh Jarakiholi, is also planning a similar strategy to keep the party leaders on the tenterhooks.

According to sources, the state government wants to hold the winter session of the state legislature at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, between December 1 and 10. The opposition BJP is planning to use the session to embarrass the state government by raising issues such as farmers’ distress, alleged corruption charges and stalled developmental projects.

“The disgruntled MLAs are aware of the fact that the presence of Congress MLAs is key to defending the state government on the floor of the house. They have decided to take this opportunity to press for the cabinet expansion. Around 40 MLAs are planning to stay away from the session,” said a party leader.

“Along with these 40 MLAs, another set of around 15 MLAs, who are loyal to the municipal administration minister Ramesh Jarakoholi, are also planning a similar strategy,” he added.