Twist to Karnataka crisis as Speaker rejects resignation of 8 MLAs

Bengaluru, Jul 9: Days after 13 Congress-JD(S) MLAs submitted their resignation from the Assembly pushing the Karnataka coalition on the brink of collapse, Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar today rejected letters of eight such legislators for not being in order and asked them to send letters as per the correct format.

The Speaker, on Tuesday, went through the resignation letters of all the 13 MLAs and found that only five were in order - Anand Singh, Narayana Gowda, Pratapgouda Patil, K Gopalaiah and Ramalinga Reddy. “We have informed the others that their resignation letters aren’t in order, and that they should submit them against in the proper format,” Kumar said.

The resignation letters of eight MLAs are not in compliance with Rule 202 of the Procedure and Conduct of Business in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, he said.

Accordingly, legislators ST Somashekhar, H Vishwanath, Muniratna, BA Basavaraj, BC Patil, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Shivaram Hebbar and Mahesh Kumathalli will have to tender their resignation again.

“I have called Anand Singh, Pratapgouda Patil and Narayana Gowda for a hearing on July 12. On July 15, I have called Gopalaiah and Ramalinga Reddy,” Kumar said.

The Speaker pointed out that he had scheduled these personal hearings even when the legislature will be in session. The monsoon session starts July 12. “I am not losing any time. I want to do this transparently,” he said.

On July 11, a day before the legislature session starts, the Speaker has asked the Congress party to come for a hearing to put forth their argument over a petition it has moved seeking the disqualification of the rebel legislators.

Kumar also said his office had received representations from roadside traders, labourers, farmers and others urging him not to accept the resignations. “They have argued that their tax money will be used to conduct elections. I will give them a hearing as well,” the Speaker said.

The Speaker also revealed that he had received letters from Governor Vajubhai R Vala.

“The Governor wrote to me stating that the MLAs had met him and that they had resigned voluntarily. I wrote back expressing surprise that they met him and not me. Out of respect he has for me, the Governor has expressed faith that I will uphold Constitutional provisions. I wrote back that besides upholding the Constitution, I was simultaneously obliged to the people of Karnataka who are going through a sense of trauma due to the instability of the government,” Kumar said.

The Governor also wrote to Kumar about the resignation of Independent legislator H Nagesh from the Cabinet. “To this, I said I have no role to play.”