Karnataka: Will take a call after they meet me personally, says Speaker on 13 MLAs

Bengaluru, July 09: The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly said that he would take a call on the resignations of the MLAs only once they meet him in person.

Let them seek an appointment and meet me. They will need to come personally and give me an explanation, following which I will take a call, the Speaker, Ramesh Kumar said.

The Speaker who said that he would look into the matter will take a call only after physically verifying that the MLAs had indeed resigned. He also said that he was prepared to take tough decisions.

He further said that there are certain rules and he would go by that. I have to be responsible. Certain things in law are implied and the office of the Speaker must behave responsibly. More-over there is no time frame mentioned here, Kumar also said.

He further explained that the clause clearly said that if the Speaker is convinced that the resignations are genuine and voluntary, it can be accepted.

The rebel MLAs who left Mumbai on Monday evening to Goa were taken to Pune and would reach the coastal state later today. The MLAs -- 10 of the Congress, two of the JD (S) and two Independents -- were to travel to Goa by road, accompanied by Mumbai BJP Yuva Morcha president Mohit Bhartiya, the sources said.

But, they were taken to Pune in Maharashtra from where they are likely to take a flight to Goa, they said. Maharashtra BJP legislator Prasad Lad earlier said the 14 MLAs left the luxury hotel in Mumbai where they were put up at 5 pm on Monday.

They are expected to stay at a resort in Goa, the sources said.

"They might come to Goa on Tuesday by a special flight. Arrangements have been made for their stay at a five- star hotel," a BJP leader from Goa said on condition of anonymity.

The year-old Congress-Janata Dal (S) coalition government in Karnataka is on the brink of collapse after the spate of resignations by the MLAs.

The Karnataka Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113.

Before the latest spate of resignations, the Congress had 78 MLAs, the JD(S)-37 and the BJP-105. The Congress-JD(S) coalition effectively had the support of 119 MLAs in an Assembly where the halfway mark was 113.

Options before the Speaker:

• He could immediately accept the resignations
• He could say that he would want to physically verify if the MLAs have really resigned
• He could keep the resignations in abeyance
• In the meantime, the government could call for a floor test
• A whip will be issued and if resignations are in abeyance MLAs are technically members of the Congress, JD(S)
• If the members disobey the whip they invite the anti-defection law
• The speaker can then disqualify them