Two more Cong MLAs resign, not accepted any resignation yet : K'taka Speaker

Troubles mounted for the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka with two more Congress MLAs resigning from the Assembly even as Speaker Ramesh Kumar ruled out accepting resignations "overnight".

The resignations of the two MLAs--T Sudhakar of Chikballapur and M T B Nagaraj of Hoskote takes the total of legislators who have resigned in the last few days to 16.

"Two MLAs Dr K Sudhakar and MTB Nagaraj have resigned from the Assembly. I have not accepted any resignation, I cannot do it overnight like that. I have given them time on 17th. I will go through the procedure and take a decision," Kumar said while speaking to media persons here.

"Like in the case of other MLAs, law will take its own course. The law cannot deviate from person to person, it is uniform for one and all," Kumar said while speaking about the other 14 MLAs who have resigned from the Assembly.

On being asked if he has rejected resignations of other MLA's, the speaker said: "Please do not put words into my mouth. Their resignation letters are not in a prescribed format. I have advised them if they intend to submit their resignations then they should do it a proper manner. Yes. Yes.. they have submitted their resignations."

Responding to reports that rebel MLAs have moved the Supreme Court and the matter may be heard by the Chief Justice tomorrow, the Speaker said; "If the CJI is taking up the case tomorrow then let him take that. After all, he is a CJI. I have been not served any notice regarding it. I have been urged to take a decision earlier."

He also said a delegation of BJP leaders headed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa met him and asked to take a decision on the resignations earlier.

Kunar further said that BJP is claiming that they are in majority but they have to prove it in the House. "They (BJP) claimed they are in majority but they have to do in the floor of the house, not before the Speaker," he said.

The rebel legislators had moved the top court earlier today seeking a direction to Kumar to accept their resignation and not to proceed with the applications for their disqualification from the House.

The plea was mentioned before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Rajan Gogoi by former attorney general Mukul Rohatgi who appeared on behalf of the MLAs.The apex court is likely to hear the matter tomorrow.

The plea was filed by Pratap Gouda Patil, Ramesh Jarkhiholi, Byrati Basavaraj, BC Patil, S T Somashekar, Arbail Sivaram Hebbar and Mahesh Kumathalli from Congress and K Gopalaiah, H D Vishwanath and Narayan Gowda from JD(S).

The 13-month-old Congress-JDS government had slumped into crisis following the resignation of MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly on Saturday.