Huge drama unfolded in Karnataka ahead of next year’s elections as four MLAs of the Janata Dal (Secular) party resigned yesterday to join Congress after voting in their favour during Rajya Sabha elections.
BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, R Akhanda Srinivasamurthy, N Chaluvaraya Swamy and Bheema Naik are the four MLAs who lashed out at JD(S) party’s senior leadership before submitting their resignations to Karnataka assembly speaker KB Koliwad, possibly with the intention of joining Congress this week.
These four MLAs, along with three of their colleagues, had been very vocal in their criticism of JD(S) party supremo HD Kumaraswamy recently. One of them, Khan, expressed that sentiment very specifically when he told reporters that JD(S) has become “a party of one-upmanship” and its chief Kumaraswamy does not consult anybody, including his father, HD Devegowda, who has also been India’s Prime Minister before.
These seven estranged JD(S) MLAs had ignored their party’s directions and had colluded to help Congress win its third Rajya Sabha seat during elections held two days ago. Once all of them resign, they are said to have been assured of Congress tickets in next year’s assembly elections.