Despite his illness, the BJP had tried hard to get him to vote. Following the BJP leadership’s instructions to its chief ministers to get ailing MPs to attend the Parliament, B S Yeddyurappa telephoned Srikantappa and informed him about the party’s plans to airlift ailing MPs to Delhi for the trust vote. However, on doctors’ advise Srikantappa stayed put.

“The MPs were moved only after getting the advise of the doctors and the consent of the MPs,” said BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad when asked if it was advisable to bring sick MPs for voting.

Several other ailing MPs, including former prime minister A B Vajpayee and Bikaner MP Dharmendra, were brought to the Parliament to vote against the UPA Government.