Yeddyurappa urges Governor to ask Speaker to accept MLA resignations

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Karnataka, former chief minister and BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa met the Governor on Wednesday and urged him to advise the Speaker to accept the resignations of the dissident MLAs.

He also requested Governor Vajubhai Rudrabhai Vala to direct the state administration against acting on any order of the Congress-JD(S) government.

After the meeting, Yeddyurappa told reporters, "I requested the Governor to convey to the Speaker that he should take necessary action immediately. H D Kumaraswamy has no moral right to continue as the Chief Minister as he does not have the numbers."

Citing Article 190(3) (b) of the Constitution read with Rule 202 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, he said the only constitutional provision left with the Speaker is to act on the resignations of the Congress and JD(S) MLAs.

"The Speaker is bound to accept the resignations of the MLAs if these have been presented in person. The Speaker can just inquire about the genuineness of the resignation, where a member sends his resignation through post or through his agent. Immediately accepting the resignations is the only constitutional provision left with the Speaker to act," Yeddyurappa said in his memorandum to the Governor.

He also said that there is nothing to suspect the genuineness of the resignations as the MLAs had publicly stated that their decision to quit was voluntary.

The former chief minister accused Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar of allowing Congress and JD(U) to continue in power and threaten the MLAs.

"Even ministers are visiting the premises of the MLAs and threatening them," he said.

"This is a mockery of democracy. A member has the constitutional right to resign." the BJP leader added.

In the memorandum, Yeddyurappa said his party has 105 members in the House and is backed by two Independents.

The 13-month old Congress-JD(S) government slumped into crisis following the resignation of the MLAs from the membership of the Assembly last week.