In a major setback for the Congress and the HD Kumaraswamy’s coalition Government in Karnataka, two Congress MLAs on Monday resigned from the Assembly.
Controversial Congress MLA from Vijayanagar in Ballari Anand Singh sent in his resignation letter to Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar and also met Governor Vaju Bhai Vala and submitted a copy of the letter. Hours later, another another controversial Congress MLA Ramesh Jharkiholi submitted his resignation and faxed it to the Speaker.
According to Congress sources, party leaders have been asked to convince the two MLAs to withdraw their resignations.
The resignations has dealed a double blow to the wobbly Government led by HD Kumaraswamy.
The reports that some more MLAs of the Congress are expected to resign soon caused jitters to the JDS-Congress coalition leaders with another phase of uncertainty looming large over the Government’s stability.
Kumaraswamy, on private visit to the US, said he was keeping tabs on the developments while the State Congress attacked the BJP, alleging the Opposition party was trying to destabilise the Government.
State Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao, however, asserted there was no threat to the Government and it would complete its term.
The resignations came just two weeks after Kumaraswamy expanded his cabinet on June 14, inducting two Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh as ministers in an apparent move to give stability to the Government, which has been grappling with dissidence.
The developments unfolded with Singh initially saying he submitted his resignation letter at the Speaker’s city residence, but Kumar denied it following which the MLA handed over a copy of it to Governor Vajubhai R Vala later.
“It is true that I have submitted my resignation,” Singh told reporters emerging from the Raj Bhavan. The Speaker’s office later confirmed receipt of Singh’s letter and said action would be taken as per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Assembly.
Meanwhile, Ramesh Jarkiholi’s letter stating that he was resigning “voluntarily” surfaced and the MLA later confirmed it was he who had sent it to the Speaker.
Speaking to a local TV channel Jarkiholi said, “I have given my resignation today morning, I’m in Mumbai today, I have sent it through fax because Amavasya (new moon day considered inauspicious in Karnataka) begins tomorrow. I will personally give it (to the Speaker) tomorrow morning.”
Asked about his earlier statement that some other MLAs would also resign with him, he said “Can’t tell our plan. Wait, every thing will be clear.”
Stunned by the developments, Congress went into a huddle with Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, senior Minister D K Shivakumar, KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao rushing to its Legislature Party Leader Siddaramaiah’s residence to assess the situation and to initiate damage control measures.
“BJP is trying to destabilise the Government. But there is no threat to the Government, it is stable and will complete its term. BJP central leaders are misusing power and agencies to put pressure and blackmail some MLAs,” Rao told reporters.
He said the reasons for Singh’s resignation were not clear to him, and he will try to convince him.”Finally it is left to him.”
Kumaraswamy in a tweet said “I am observing all the developments in the State from here. BJP is day dreaming of destabilising the State Government,” he said.
Following its rout in the Lok Sabha polls and dissidence within the coalition, the ruling combine has been raising apprehensions of attempts by the BJP to destabilise the government, but the saffron party has denied any such move and maintained that the Government would fall on its own.
Commenting on the MLAs’ resignations, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa said it only proved there was “largescale unease” in the ruling coalition and the Government will collapse under its own weight. He said BJP would explore Constitutional provisions to form a new Government in the event of fall of the government.Singh said he decided to resign over his demands, including creation of a separate Vijayangar district and cancellation of the nod for sale of 3,667 acres of land to JSW Steel in mine-rich Ballari district.
However, he appeared to have not shut the doors fully, saying he would “wait for answers” (from the government to his demands) when asked if he would withdraw the resignation. Singh also outrightly rejected suggestions that he was succumbing to ‘Operation Lotus’, a strategy adopted by the BJP in 2008 to shore up its numbers in the assembly by making opposition MLAs resign and seek re-election on the saffron party ticket. Singh is reportedly miffed with Congress leadership over revoking of the suspension of Kampli MLA J N Ganeash, who had allegedly hit him during an alleged brawl at private resort here in January at the height of dissidence in the party.
Speculations are rife that Singh, who was a minister in the BJP Government and joined Congress ahead of May 2018 Assembly polls, may go back to the saffron party’s fold.