As predicted, 15 disqualified rebel MLAs joined the Bharatiya Janta Party on Thursday in the presence of Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. The members also included the legislators from Congress and JD(S) party.
ರಾಜೀನಾಮೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದ 15 ಶಾಸಕರು ಇಂದು ಸನ್ಮಾನ್ಯ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಶ್ರೀ @BSYBJP , ರಾಜ್ಯಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ @nalinkateel , ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಉಸ್ತುವಾರಿ ಶ್ರೀ @PMuralidharRao ಹಾಗೂ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ನಾಯಕರ ಸಮ್ಮುಖದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಧಿಕೃತವಾಗಿ ಬಿಜೆಪಿಗೆ ಸೇರ್ಪಡೆಯಾದರು. pic.twitter.com/b4cr6WY9Tf
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) November 14, 2019
On the previous day, Supreme Court had allowed the 17 disqualified Karnataka MLAs to contest in the upcoming by-elections. Karnataka will go to by-polls on December 5. Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan had already said on Wednesday that the rebel 17 leaders will join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Supreme Court had upheld the decision of the then Karnataka assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to disqualify 17 rebel Congress-JDS MLAs under the Anti-Defection Law.
To defected leaders did not join in today’s ceremony as MLA Roshan Baig was left out due to his connection with the IMA Ponzi scam while MTB Nagaraj is already a member.
Speaking on the occasion, H Vishwanath, one of the disqualified MLAs said, “We didn’t come out of the coalition government just to save the state from evil politics. We came out of Congress and JD(S) and joined BJP, it’s not anti-defection, it’s political polarisation. We will stand with BJP leaders and we will work along with them as they have given us a chance to work along with them. I thank you all including Prime Minister, Home Minister and BJP working president JP Nadda.” (ANI source)
Congress–JD(S) alliance has formed the government early this year. However, the government collapsed due to the resignation of 17 MLAs, it was purported that the BS Yeddyurappa and Amit Shah caused these law-makers to quit the party.