Bengaluru: A BJP MLA on Tuesday created a stir of sorts on Tuesday by threatening to topple his own party government in Karnataka if houses were not provided for the flood hit people and a video of his statement has gone viral.

During a visit to the flood affected areas in his Arabhavi constituency, the legislator, Balachandra Jarkiholi is heard telling people "Its our responsibility to provide you houses. Im saying this on record ..that if we fail to build houses then we will topple the government."

Arabhavi is in Belgavi district, the worst hit by the floods in the State.

Incidentally, Balachandra Jarkiholi's was among the 16 MLAs who had in 2010 withdrawn support to the first BJP government in Karnataka led by Yediyurappa threatening its existence.

Taking note of Jarkiholi's October 6, 2010 letter to him withdrawing support to the then Yediyurappa government, the then governor Hansraj Bhardwaj had asked Yediyurappa to prove his majority on October 12, 2010.

However, Yediyurappa chose to prove the majority on October 11, 2010 but hours before the floor test, the then speaker K G Bopaiah disqualified Jarkiholi and 15 other rebel MLAs. The move saved the BJP government.

Jarkiholi had approached the Supreme Court, which set aside Bopaiahs order. Balachandra Jarkiholi comes from Belagavis prominent Jarkiholi family that holds sway in the state politics. While three of the Jarkiholis Ramesh Jarkiholi, Satish and Lakhan are in the Congress, Balakrishna and Bhimshi are in the BJP.

The eldest among all, Ramesh Jarkiholi, a Congress MLA from Gokak constituency, was among the 17 (14 congress, three JDS) disgruntled MLAs who had resigned from the assembly this year which eventually brought down the Congress and the JD(S) coalition government-led by H D Kumaraswamy last month.

The Congress subsequently expelled the 14 rebel MLAs, including Ramesh, who were responsible for bringing down the coalition government.

Ramesh Jarkiholi was dropped from the Cabinet in December last year.