Karnataka Speaker gets 13 resignations, 2 accepted

Bangalore, Jan 29: Thirteen rebel

MLAs identified with former party strongman BS Yeddyurappa today submitted their resignation letters to Assembly Speaker KG Bopaiah. The MLAs handed over the letters to Bopaiah during his one-on-one meetings with them to ascertain whether they were doing so on their own.

The Speaker has accepted the resignations of Tippeswamy (Challakere) and Vittal Katakdonda (Nagathana, Bijapur). The fate of 11 MLAs is yet to be known.

The MLAs were sitting on dharna at the Speaker's chamber till late evening, demanding acceptance of their resignation. Bopaiah has meanwhile sought the opinion of Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as there is a written petition against 11 MLAs.

The petition was filed by BJP seeking disqualification of 12 rebel MLAs on the ground of 'anti party' activities. The speaker has accepted the resignation of two MLAs as their names do not figure in the petition submitted by the BJP.

BJP today filed another complaint seeking disqualification of five MLCs who have been supporting Karnataka Janata Party, floated by Yeddyurappa after breaking ranks with the BJP.

"These MLAs, they voluntarily resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Their conduct, their behaviour, the way they have been bearing in the public clearly shows they have voluntarily resigned from the BJP. Any person who resigns voluntarily from the party has to be disqualified, stands for the rules of disqualification," said BJP MLA Sarvabhouma Bagli.

"On this ground, we have already filed a petition before the honourable Speaker and we have not actually handed over the copies to the Speaker; the petitions have been given to the Secretary, he is the authority to receive our petitions. Our request is we have filed first a petition, it is the duty and obligation of the honourable Speaker to first make an order on or present and then look into the resignations," he added.

Meanwhile, the BJP is confident that resignation by these MLAs will not affect the government.

OneIndia News