Kumaraswamy resigns as assembly Oppn leader and JD(S) state prez

Bangalore, Aug 24: Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has resigned as the leader of opposition in the Karnataka Assembly and also stepped down from from the post of JD(S) state president post.

The Karnataka bypolls defeat was the main reason behind his resignation as his party lost both the constituencies, Bangalore (Rural) and Mandya which was the strong hold of JD(S) since decades.

The result have thrown a bad light on the party (Janata Dal-Secular) which made a strong tie-up with BJP and KJP to fight against Congress, but today's result has made the JD(S) to rethink over the combined move in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections which is due next year, 2014.

"The party has accepted the people verdict and being a state president I am taking the whole responsibility for this defeat and resigning from the post of party state president and also from the leader of opposition in the assembly," Kumaraswamy said in a press conference after a huge defeat in the bypolls.

Anitha Kumaraswamy from JD(S) lost to Congress candidate D K Suresh with a margin over a lakh votes from Bangalore Rural constituency.

And from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency actor-turned politician Ramya (Divya Spandana) wins from 67,611 votes margin against JD(S) candidate C S Puttaraju.

Both the constituencies fell vacant when Kumaraswamy and Cheluvanarayanaswamy both from JD(S) quit after getting elected to the Karnataka state assembly in May.

OneIndia