Karnataka Congress MLA Umesh Jadav skips party meet

Karnataka Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav on Friday skipped the legislature party meet citing ill-health.

In a letter to the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah, Jadhav, a legislator from Chincholi Assembly segment in Kalaburagi district, said he was unable to attend the meet as he was not keeping well.

"I am unable to attend the meeting since I am unwell and not able to travel. My absence may be excused," Jadhav said in the letter, shared by the party with the media.

The party legislators' meet was called to take stock of the political happenings in the state, and as a show of strength, party's state unit vice president B.K. Chandrashekar told IANS earlier.

Chaired by Siddaramaiah, the party, which was scheduled for 3.30 p.m. at the state's legislature building Vidhana Soudha, was delayed by over 90 minutes and began around 5 p.m.

The meeting has been convened amid alleged attempts to poach Congress legislators by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.

In the 225-member Legislative Assembly, including one nominated Speaker, Congress has 80 legislators, JD-S 37, and the BJP 104, while one Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA continues to support the coalition.

Earlier this week, one Independent H. Nagesh and regional Karnataka Pragnavantha Janata Party (KPJP) legislator R. Shankar withdrew their support to the coalition government.

--IANS

bha/prs