Karnataka: Speaker orders disqualification of Independant rebel MLA R Shankar

Two days after JD(S)-Congress coalition government lost its trust vote, Karnataka assembly speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Thursday announced the disqualification of independent MLA R Shankar, who had resigned from the Congress party.

Addressing media here today, Kumar said: "Everyone has noticed the past developments in which some MLAs resigned and party leaders gave complaint against those legislators under the 10th schedule. I have issues related to 17 MLAs with me, in which two are for disqualification and 15 of resignation, for which their party leaders expect disqualification too".

Elaborating upon his decision on Shankar's disqualification, the speaker said: "MLA R Shankar had merged his KPJP party with the Congress in June this year. On June 20th I had notified that he be considered as a Congress MLA. On July 8, he gave his resignation after which he wrote to me and the governor that he will support BJP unequivocally.

"Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah had filed a complaint against him and he is being disqualified. R Shankar is disqualified up to May 2023 end of 15th State Legislative Assembly," Ramesh Kumar said.

The Congress-JD(S) coalition government fell on Tuesday as it lost the trust vote in the Assembly. Following the defeat, Kumaraswamy submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan, along with his cabinet ministers.

The defeat marked the end of an uneasy coalition that was formed after the assembly polls on May 23, 2018, which returned a hung verdict after three main parties in the state- Congress, BJP and the JD (S) contested against each other in the polls.