Speaker Ramesh Kumar rejects 9 MLAs’ Resignations, said ‘Not in Format’

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Jul 09, 2019 : As the political drama in Karnataka continues, Assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar said he will not accept the resignations of the rebel MLAs unless they meet him personally. Earlier, the Congress Legislature Party decided to file a petition with the Speaker to disqualify the rebel MLAs who have “colluded with the BJP”, Yahoo reported.

 

With suspended Congress MLA Roshan Baig also quitting on Tuesday, 9 July, the total number of resignations in the party have gone up to 14, pushing the Congress-JD(S) alliance government to an edge. Two Independent MLAs, who withdrew from the coalition, have lent support to the BJP, giving the saffron party an upper hand.

The Congress has rushed senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and BK Hariprasad to Bengaluru to solve the differences.

The BJP’s numbers in the 224-member Assembly have gone up to 107

If the resignations of the 14 MLAs are accepted, the strength of the Cong-JD(S) coalition will fall to 102

Opposition staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha after uproar erupted over the developments in the state

On Monday, 8 July, all ministers of the coalition government had resigned to placate the rebel MLAs

DK Shivakumar Going to Meet Rebel MLAs in Mumbai

Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar is heading to Mumbai to meet the rebel MLAs. He said, “I will go to meet my legislators, my friends. Have to speak some personal issues with them.”

BJP MLAs Return From Speaker’s Office Without Meeting Him

BJP MLAs went to Karnataka Assembly Speaker’s office and left without meeting the Speaker, KR Ramesh Kumar, as he was not there, reported ANI.

CM Kumaraswamy Suggests Lodging JD(S) MLAs in Bengaluru Hotel For 4 Days

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy has suggested JD(S) MLAs to be lodged at Prestige Golfshire Club in Bengaluru for at least 4 days, reported ANI quoting sources.

Wrote a Letter to Governor Saying No MLA Has Met Me: Karnataka Speaker

Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar declined to accept the resignations of all the 13 Congress and JD(S) rebel legislators, as eight were not in the prescribed format and five needed explanations to ensure they were in accordance with the anti-defection law. He added, “I have written a letter to Governor saying that none of the MLAs have met me. Governor has written to me a second letter that independent MLA Nagesh has resigned. I can’t do anything about the ministers, I don’t know why Governor has written to me about them.”

He said, “On 6 July, I was in office till 12.30pm, none of the legislators sought appontment from me. They came to office at 1.30 pm and handed their resignations. Out of 13, 8 are not according to the prescribed rules under rule 202 under Karntaka legislature procedure. (Only the letters by Anand Singh,Ramalinga Reddy, Narayan Gowda , Pratap Gouda Patil and Gopaliah are in proper format) If they are intent on reiterating their stance, they should do according to proper rules. The remaining 5, I’m giving them two days time. I’m calling three of them (Anand Singh, Narayan Gowda and Pratap Gowda Patil) on 12 July to meet me personally even though there is Assembly. I have called two others (Ramalinga Reddy and Gopalaiah) on 15 July. The 14th letter of Roshan Baig has reached me today and I have forwarded it to the secretariat office for scrutiny.”
CM Kumaraswamy Reaches Bengaluru Hotel Where JD(S) MLAs Are Staying

CM HD Kumaraswamy has reached Prestige Golfshire Club, Nandi hills road in Devanahalli, where Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs are staying.

Congress Stage Walkout After Uproar in Lok Sabha

The Congress on Tuesday, 8 July, staged a walkout in Lok Sabha after accusing the BJP of indulging in "politics of poaching" in Karnataka, a charge denied by the ruling party at the Centre.

The Congress tried to raise the issue in Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, but was disallowed by Speaker Om Birla, who said the matter was discussed in the House on Monday with a response from Deputy Leader of House Rajnath Singh.

Birla said the Congress had given an adjournment motion to discuss the Karnataka issue, which he has disallowed.

With the Speaker refusing to relent, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said the BJP was targeting the Karnataka government, which is on a brink of collapse after the Congress, JD(S) and some independent MLAs tendered their resignations.

Hitting back, Singh said the Karnataka issue was an internal matter of the Congress.

Resigned Due to Lack of Development in Karnataka: Rebel JD(S) MLA

One of the rebel JD(S) MLA in Mumbai, Narayan Gowda, said, “We’ve resigned from MLA post due to lack of development in the state. Karnataka CM travelled abroad without consultation with MLAs, no work was progressing in the state. We will stay here for 2 days and then we will return.”

Will Not Accept Resignations Unless Given Personally: Karnataka Speaker

Asked whether he would accept the resignations submitted to his office, Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar said, "If everything happens through postal correspondence, then I’m not required at all." He had earlier said that no MLAs have sorted appointment with him.

Congress MLA Roshan Baig Resigns

The Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka, on Tuesday, 9 July, suffered another blow following the resignation of Shivajinagar Congress MLA R Roshan Baig.

"Today I have submitted my resignation from the Karnataka Assembly to the Speaker," Baig told reporters at Vidhana Soudha after coming out of the office of Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar.

The suspended Congress MLA made it clear he would not fly to Mumbai or Delhi, unlike the other disgruntled MLAs who have camped in a Mumbai hotel.

"I am not going to Mumbai or Delhi. Being the chairman of the State Hajj committee, I am going to the airport to oversee arrangements for the Hajj pilgrims," Baig said.

Congress Urges Speaker to Disqualify MLAs Colluding With BJP

After the Congress Legislature Party meet ended in Bengaluru, Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the party has decided to file a petition with the Speaker to disqualify the MLAs who have colluded with the BJP.

He added, “We also request that not only should they be disqualified but they should not also contest election again for 6 years. That is one of the prayers in our letter.”

He said, “According to us it is anti-party activity. They have colluded with the BJP and these people are trapped. Even now I request them to come back. Withdraw their resignation.”

14 Karnataka MLAs Stationed near Pune, Waiting for Speaker’s Decision on Resignation

Fourteen MLAs of Karnataka’s ruling coalition are in a place about 90 km from Pune and will wait for the Speaker’s decision on their resignations before taking a call on proceeding to Goa or returning to Bengaluru, sources told PTI.

The 14 MLAs, at the centre of the crisis in the JD(S)-Congress government, had been staying in a luxury hotel in Mumbai and left on Monday evening for Goa.

But they are presently stationed at a location 90 km from Pune, towards Satara, in Maharashtra, the sources said.