11 Coalition MLAs Approach Karnataka Speaker Offering to Resign

The BJP requires six more MLAs to resign to form a government.

A fresh round of Operation Lotus has started in Karnataka. 

(Photo: The Quint).

11 MLAs of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government have approached Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar on Saturday, 6 July, with their resignations. Out of the 11, eight MLAs are from the Congress and three are from the JD(S).

Since the Speaker is not at his chamber, the nine MLAs submitted their resignations to the Office of the Speaker before leaving for Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor.

Former Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa alleged that Congress minister DK Shivakumar was “tearing” the resignation letters of MLAs inside the Speaker’s office.

“People are watching the way DK Shivakumar is behaving. He tore resignation letters of some of the MLAs inside the Speaker’s office, who had gone to resign. It is condemnable.”

BS Yeddyurappa, Former Karnataka CM

Talking to media, Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar said his office received 11 resignation. “I have asked my office to give all 11 appointments. I will be returning to office on Tuesday (9 July), I will talk to them,” he said.

Karnataka Speaker to Return to Office on Tuesday

Talking to media, Karnataka Speaker Ramesh Kumar said: “I was at Vidhan Soudha this morning. I even held a meeting with additional Chief Secretary, Finance. No one took any appointment with me over the phone or through a letter. Since one of my relatives is in hospital in a serious condition, I left office to meet him,” he said.

He said that Sunday is a holiday and he is busy with a personal work on Monday, he will return to office only on Tuesday. “When I called my office, I was told 11 people have given their resignation. I have told my office to give them appointment. I will talk to all of them,” he added.

Three MLAs Leave Vidhan Soudha with DK Shivakumar

According to sources, three Congress MLAs went with senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar, after the submitted their resignations. After the news of the resignations broke, DK Shivakumar had held a meeting with the Congress MLAs in Speaker’s chamber.

Talking to the media before this meeting, Shivakumar had said, “Nobody will resign. I have come to meet them.”

Last week, one Congress MLA Anand Singh had submitted his resignation. If these 11 MLAs submit their resignations, the strength of the coalition government will be reduced to 106.

BJP Needs 15 MLAs to Resign

The BJP, which has 105 seats in the Assembly, needed 15 MLAs to resign to bring down the coalition government and form its own. With these new resignations, the BJP will now require only three more MLAs to resign to topple the government.

According to BJP sources, more MLAs are expected to submit their resignations.

When asked if the BJP will form the government, BJP leader Sadananda Gowda said:

“The governor is the supreme authority, as per the constitutional mandate if he calls us, certainly we are ready to form the government. We are the single largest party, we have got 105 people with us.”

Sadananda Gowda, BJP Leader

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and state minister DK Shivakumar have called an emergency meeting of Congress Bengaluru MLAs and Corporators later on Saturday.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is currently on a US tour.

‘I Have Been Cornered in the Party’: Former Minister

According to sources, the Congress MLAs who have offered their resignations are – Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumatalli, Pratapgouda Patil, BC Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, Byrathi Basavaraj, ST Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar.

Similarly, from the JD(S), H Vishwanath, Narayana Gowda and D Gopalaiah are said to have offered their resignations.

“The coalition government has failed in fulfilling the aspirations of the people of the state. They have also failed in taking the Legislators of both parties together. Continuing governece without taking the legislators into confidence has pained us.”

H Vishwanath, JD(S) Leader

“I have come to submit my resignation to the Speaker … I don’t have a problem with the Congress or the national leadership. But I have been cornered in the party.”

Ramalinga Reddy, senior Congress leader & former home minister

When asked whether his daughter Soumya Reddy will also submit her resignation, he said, “That, you will have to ask her.”

The Numbers Game

The strength of the Karnataka Assembly is 224. For any party or coalition to form a government, they need 113 MLAs.

Currently, the BJP has 105. But if the BJP is able to make 15 MLAs from the coalition camp resign, it would bring the Assembly’s strength to 209. This would mean that the BJP could form the government with just its 105 MLAs.

(This is a developing story, more details are awaited.)