Karnataka Crisis: SC to take up rebel MLAs' plea, BJP keeps close watch

New Delhi, July 16: The political crisis in Karnataka may take a new turn on Tuesday as the Supreme Court will take up the resignation and disqualification case of 15 rebel MLAs of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition.

The apex court, which was dealing with the plea of 10 rebel MLAs on July 12, will now hear five more lawmakers who have sought identical relief that Karnataka Assembly speaker K R Ramesh Kumar accept their resignations as well.

Five more rebel Congress MLAs from Karnataka have moved the apex court on July 13 against the Speaker not accepting their resignations.

These MLAs are Anand Singh, K Sudhakar, N Nagaraj, Munirathna and Roshan Baig.

The MLAs said, despite having submitted their resignations, they were being "threatened to support the government on the threat of disqualification" in a floor test announced by the Chief Minister on the floor of the House on July 12.

The court had asked the Speaker to defer any decision on disqualification or resignation of the 10 MLAs for now. It is scheduled to hear the petition of these MLAs on July 16.