Hours after meeting the Karnataka Assembly Speaker, all the rebel MLAs on Thursday night returned to Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai where they are staying from past five days. On the directions of the Top Court, all the disgruntled Lawmakers on Thursday reached Bangalore and met the Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and submitted their resignation personally.
However, after meeting the rebel MLAs, Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar said he would require time to go through the resignations in a detailed matter.
‘I will go through them and decide after I hear them personally’, he told reporters after meeting the MLAs. He added that he needs to examine these resignations (of rebel MLAs) all night and ascertain if they are genuine’.
Dismissing charges of intentionally delaying things, Speaker said, ‘MLAs don’t communicate to me and rush to the Governor. What can he do? Is it not misuse? They approached the SC. My obligation is to people of this state and the Constitution of the country. I am delaying because I love this land. I am not acting in haste’.
Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh: MLAs don't communicate to me & rush to the Governor. What can he do? Is it not misuse? They approached the SC. My obligation is to people of this state & Constitution of the country. I am delaying because I love this land. I am not acting in haste. https://t.co/Qg61zlOzWh
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
While Senior Lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, representing Karnataka rebel faction in the Top Court said, ‘We will ask the court to implement its order so that the speaker takes a decision as soon as possible. If all MLAs appeared before him, gave affidavits and moved SC that they want to resign, what further verification is required I don’t understand’.
Sr lawyer M Rohatgi,representing K'taka rebel MLAs: We'll ask court to implement its order so that speaker takes decision as soon as possible.If all MLAs appeared before him,gave affidavits&moved SC that they want to resign,what further verification is required I don't understand pic.twitter.com/cRMnn3dAjm
— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2019
In the meantime, Chief Whip of JD(S) and Congress Coalition Government Ganesh Hukkeri issued a whip directing all the Legislators to be present in the Assembly to pass the Finance Bill.
While Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy asserted confidence that everything will be resolved. As quoted by ANI, HD Kumaraswamy said, ‘Congress-JDS coalition in the state is going strong despite the efforts to destabilize. We are confident and prepared for smooth and fruitful conduct of legislative sessions’.
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy: Congress-JDS coalition in the state is going strong despite the efforts to destabilize. We are confident and prepared for a smooth and fruitful conduct of legislative sessions. (1/2) (File pic) pic.twitter.com/pOSxhNWQ8B
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
Chief Minister further added that all the absent MLAs will face an anti-defection law.
With the resignation of the rebel MLAs, the strength of the ruling Congress and JD-S will come down to 103 while BJP has 106 MLAs.
The 13-months old coalition government suffered a huge setback on Saturday last week when 11 MLAs from Congress–JD(S) ruling coalition tendered their resignation. And thereafter political episode and drama started in Karnataka.
ALSO READ:
- Karnataka Crisis: SC directs 10 rebel MLAs to appear before Assembly Speaker; Speaker moves SC seeking more time
- Karnataka Crisis: Ghulam Nabi Azad slams BJP for toppling govt; says ‘they hardly care about Consitution’
- Karnataka Crisis: Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar seeks time to ‘examine’ resignations of rebel MLAs