Bangalore: Thirteen MLAs of ruling JD(S)-Congress alliance in Karnataka have submitted their resignation to the Speaker, putting a question mark on the survival of the 13-month-old government.
If the resignations are accepted, the 118-member wobbly ruling coalition will lose majority in the 224-member Assembly as its strength will come down to 104. The crisis, which had been brewing ever since the BJP swept the parliamentary polls in the state, deepened as 13 Congress and JD(S) MLAs reached the Speaker’s office to put in their papers and later met Governor Vajubhai Vala at the Raj Bhavan Saturday.
After meeting the Governor, JD(S) MLA AH Vishwanath said, “Fourteen MLAs from Congress and JD(S), including Anand Singh, have submitted resignation from the Assembly to the Speaker…we also brought to matter to the notice of Governor.”
Singh submitted his resignation to the Speaker earlier this week.
Vishwanath accused the coalition government led by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of failing in its duty and denied that the BJP was behind the revolt.
“The government failed to coordinate with the MLAs…and take them along. It has also failed to live up to the expectations of the people,” he said.
On the charge that the BJP was trying to destabilise the government through “Operation Lotus (BJP’s poll symbol)’’, he said it is “a figment of your imagination”.
The MLAs who were seen at the Speaker’s office included Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak), Pratap Gowda Patil (Maski), Shivram Hebbar (Yellapur), Mahesh Kumathalli (Athani), BC Patil (Hirekerur), Byratibasavaraj (KR Puram), ST Soma Shekar (Yashwanthpur) and Ramalinga Reddy (BTM Layout) of the Congress.
The JD(S) MLAs are AH Vishwanath (Hunsur), who recently resigned as the party’s state chief, Narayana Gowda (KR Pet), and Gopalaiah (Mahalakshmi Layout).
The Speaker told reporters, “Eleven of them have submitted resignation letters. I told officials to take the letters and issue acknowledgement…on Tuesday I will go to office and take further action in accordance with rules.”
To questions on the future of the government, Kumar said, “Let’s wait and see, I have nothing to do with it… Whether the government will fall or survive, it will be decided in the Assembly…”
The ruling coalition leaders had expressed fear that the BJP would try to destabalise the government after the Lok Sabha election results. The Congress and the JD(U) managed to win just one seat each in the state having 28 Lok Sabha constituencies.
The BJP bagged 25 seats and an Independent supported by it won from Mandya.
