Fourteen rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs in Karnataka approached the Supreme Court on Thursday, 1 August, to challenge the Speaker's decision to disqualify them for the present Assembly term, reported ANI.
This bunch includes nine Congress MLAs — Pratapgouda Patil, BC Patil, Arbail Shivaram Hebbar, ST Somashekar, BA Basvaraja, Munirathna, AH Vishwanath, K Gopalaiah and KC Narayanagowda, reported CNN-News18.
Earlier, two rebel Congress leaders – Ramesh L Jharkhiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli –and an independent leader – R Shanker – who were disqualified on 25 July had moved the apex court on 29 July, PTI reported.
Disqualified JD(S) MLAs – AH Vishwanath, K Gopalaiah, Narayana Gowda – have filed a joint petition
Seventeen rebel MLAs – 14 from Congress and three from the JD(S) – were disqualified on Sunday by former Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar under the anti-defection law based on a complaint by their respective parties citing anti-party activities.
They had also abstained from the trust vote on 23 July when the HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government collapsed.
The Congress has also dissolved its block units in most constituencies from where they had contested.
Cong Decides to Prepare for Bypolls
Meanwhile, the Congress in Karnataka decided to prepare the party for bypolls to 17 constituencies, necessitated by the disqualification of rebel legislators on Thursday, 1 August, according to PTI.
The party at a meeting of its top leaders also decided to face the legal battle against disqualified MLAs in the Supreme Court, but remained non-committal on the continuity of its alliance with JD(S), putting the onus on the Congress high command.
“There will be by-elections for 17 constituencies, as MLAs from there have been disqualified. So we have discussed our strategy, how to face it. We have gathered opinion of our leaders.”Dinesh Gundu Rao, KPCC President
Stating that for each constituency, a team headed by a senior leader will be constituted and made in-charge, Rao said, they will immediately visit their respective constituencies.
Further, Rao said tickets will be given to those loyal to the party.
The party will announce in-charge teams to each constituency by Friday.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI and CNN-News18.)
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