Karnataka : 5 more rebel MLA have approached the Top Court against Speaker
BANGALURU : As the political crisis continues in Karnataka, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has said he is ready for the floor test. Speaking at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy on Friday sought permission to prove majority.
With the drama entering the eighth day on Saturday, Congress leader DK Shivakumar arrived at rebel MLA Nagaraj’s house at 5 am to convince him to take back his resignation.
Meanwhile,five more MLAs moved the Supreme Court on Saturday, claiming that the Speaker is not accepting their resignations. The MLAs have been identified as Anand Singh, Muniratna, MTB, Roshan Baig, and Sudhakar.
Though the Speaker had earlier denied the allegations, the five MLAs who have moved the SC have alleged that Ramesh Kumar is delaying the process related to their resignations. The actions of the Speaker are in violation of their fundamental right, the MLAs have said. They have also alleged that they are being asked to support the government or face disqualification.
Supreme Court has restrained Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar from taking any decision on the resignation or disqualification of 10 rebel MLAs. The matter will now come up in the Supreme Court on July 16.
MTB Nagaraj has told Siddaramaiah that he’ll withdraw his resignation and be with Congress. Meanwhile, Anand Singh and Sudhakar are likely to fly to Mumbai on Saturday evening. On being asked if he would withdraw his resignation, he said, “I’ll come back in the evening. We’re trying for the same.” When asked if he would withdraw his resignation if K Sudhakar withdraws, he nodded.
Earlier in the day, DK Shivakumar and other Congress leaders had met MTB Nagaraj at his residence. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad will arrive in Bengaluru tonight.
The actions of the Speaker are in violation of their fundamental right, the MLAs have said. They have also alleged that they are being asked to support the government or face disqualification.
After Friday’s order from the Supreme Court that it should be status quo on the resignation or disqualification of 10 rebel coalition legislators – and the five who approached the top court today – the next major political step is expected only early next week. The Speaker, KR Ramesh Kumar, is also likely to take a call on those resignations by then.
CM HD Kumaraswamy of the JDS has asked the Speaker to allow him to prove his government’s majority on the floor of the house – and Wednesday is the likely day for that, after the Supreme Court hears the matter of the resignations on Tuesday.
If the resignations are not accepted, the lawmakers face disqualification as their parties had issued an order to be present on Friday on the first day of the legislature session. The lawmakers had instead returned to Mumbai after resubmitting their resignations to the Speaker on Thursday evening. Congress troubleshooter DK Shivakumar has been trying to persuade the rebel lawmakers of the Congress-JDS coalition to change their mind.
But while matters may not be as dramatic as the last few days, which saw Congress troubleshooter DK Shivakumar camping outside the Mumbai hotel where the dissidents are staying, hectic backroom maneuvering is going on.
(With Agency Inputs ).
