Siddaramaiah seeks appointment from President Kovind over 'breakdown of constitutional machinery' in Karnataka

Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah has written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking an appointment to apprise him of the "breakdown of constitutional machinery" in Karnataka.

"There was a fractured mandate in 2018 assembly elections in Karnataka. Consequently, a coalition government was formed by our party and Janata Dal (S). The government was functioning smoothly and doing developmental works effectively. After 2019 Lok Sabha elections, all of a sudden at the behest of BJP leadership, 17 MLAs belonging to coalition parties tendered their resignations to the Speaker," Siddaramaiah wrote in his letter to President Kovind.

He stated that these 17 MLAs camped at Mumbai in a five-star hotel for more than two and half months "even without meeting their family members, without attending the important budget session of Karnataka Legislative Assembly and without visiting their constituencies."

On the complaint of coalition party leaders, the then Speaker disqualified the MLAs under the provisions of the Article 190 read with 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India, Siddaramaiah wrote.

"The BJP has used dubious and illegal methods like misusing CBI, Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate to induce and coerce the said legislators; which is evident from the speech of BS Yediyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka. The formation of the present government of Karnataka is against the mandate of the people of Karnataka and the provisions of the Constitution of India," Siddaramaiah said.

"For the sake of power, the BJP has thrown all the provisions of law and defied the established precedents of democratic principles. Consequently, there is complete breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state of Karnataka. All these unconstitutional acts have been done at the behest of Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister of Karnataka who is holding Constitutional positions. Which is warranted to tackle the same immediately by your good self being a Constitutional head of the nation," he added.

He shared that besides him, the delegation will consist of KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, Leader of Opposition at Legislative Council SR Patil, former chief ministers, former Union Ministers, present and former MPs, MLAs, MLCs and AICC leaders.