Congress gives adjournment motion notice in LS over K'taka crisis

The Congress party on Tuesday submitted an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to take up and discuss the ongoing political crisis in Karnataka. The party has charged the BJP with conspiracy to topple the Congress-JD(S) government.

The two party leaders -- Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Kodhikunnil -- Suresh have submitted the notice.

The 13-month-old coalition government slumped into crisis following the resignation of their 11 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly on July 6.

Rebel D(S) MLA H Vishwanath had on Saturday claimed that 14 MLAs have jointly tendered their resignations to Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and requested him to accept them.

With the dramatic turn of events, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had to cut short his US visit and return to Bengaluru on Sunday, as the state government appears to have fallen into a minority.

The strength of the ruling coalition in Karnataka has come down to 105, which is eight short of the half-way mark of 113.

Apart from Congress strongman Ramalinga Reddy, Anand Singh, Ramesh Jarkiholi, BC Patil, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda, S Hebbar, Mahesh Kumatalli, Gopalayya, and Pratap Gowda Patil have tendered resignations. However, the Speaker is yet to accept the resignations.

As many as 10 of the rebel MLAs are lodged in Mumbai's Sofitel hotel.