Settling the matter of disqualification of Karnataka legislators on Wednesday, the country’s apex court has allowed the 17 disqualified Karnataka MLAs to contest in the upcoming by-elections.
In today’s decision, 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. The court further allowed these law-makers to contest in the forthcoming by-elections in the state.
Now since the legislators have been given a chance to contest the elections, it has been reported that these 17 legislators will join the saffron party on Thursday. Speaking to the media, Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said the rebel 17 leaders will join the Bharatiya Janata Party. As quoted by ANI, he said, “All the 17 MLAs have already shown their interest to join the BJP. There is no confusion and no difference of opinion. They all will join the BJP on November 14 in the presence of Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and state party president Nalin Kumar Kateel.”
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa also confirmed the news.
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa: All 17 rebel MLAs (who were disqualified) to join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/y3Dh0elPpR
— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2019
It has been reported that the judgment has left the JD(S) party disappointed. Responding to the matter, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy accused some political leaders of misusing constitutional institutions for personal gains.
HD Kumaraswamy,JD(S)on SC's judgement upholding disqualification of 17 Karnataka MLAs but allowing them to contest by-elections in the state: I'm not totally happy with the judgement.The way in which some political leaders are misusing our Constitutional bodies shouldn't happen. pic.twitter.com/8pLEqZ46vc
— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2019
Congress-JD(S) alliance has formed the government early this year. However, due to the resignation of 17 MLAs, HD Kumaraswamy government had collapsed down paving way for the BJP to form the government.
Following this, a video-tape surfaced in the media that showed BS Yeddyurappa of mentioning the role of the central leadership in the incident. According to the video, he said that “the decision of the 17 JD-S and Congress MLAs to resign, which led to the fall of the HD Kumaraswamy-led government in July, was taken by the central leadership of the BJP and that the party worker should honor the “sacrifice” of the rebel MLAs“.