India, (6/7/2019): Karnataka could soon face a political crisis with eleven Congress- JD(S) MLAs eight from the Congress and three of the Janata Dal Secular (JDS) – submitted their resignations to the Speaker’s secretary on Saturday.
If accepted, the resignations will bring down the tally of Congress-JD(S) coalition down to 1o5 in 225- member House, signalling trouble for the ruling combine. The BJP has 105 seats, while the BSP and KPJ each have one seat. They will meet Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan and inform the same.
They have submitted their resignation to Kumar’s secretary as the Speaker had already left office.
However, 4 MLAs – Ramalinga Reddy, ST Somshkher, Munni Rathna and Bayaratti Basawarj went with DK Shivakumar.
Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar, who was not available for the MLAs later said “I was supposed to pick up my daughter that is why I went home, I have told my office to take resignations and give acknowledgement. that 11 members resigned. Tomorrow is leave so I will see them on Monday.
The move comes at a time when the Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy is touring the US.
Earlier, speaking to reporters, senior congress leader Ramalinga Reddy said “I have come to submit my resignation to speaker. I am not going to blame anyone in the party or the high command. I somewhere feel I was being neglected over some issues. That is why I have taken this decision”.
The BJP appears to be convinced that the time is ripe for a strike, both because of its success in the parliamentary election and the disenchantment in the Congress over the alliance with the JD(S). If enough number of coalition MLAs resign, the BJP could claim a majority with its present strength in an Assembly of reduced strength, and by-polls could follow.
In the 225 member house, the BJP has 105 seats, the Congress prior to these resignations had 78. The JD(S) on the other hand has 37 MLAs. The BSP and the KPJ party have a seat each. There is also an independent and one Speaker.
15 MLAs from the Congress-JDS will have to resign to topple HDK government. After today’s 8 resignations, government is in real trouble.
