Congress seeks disqualification of four rebel MLAs

Cracking the whip, the Congress Monday sought disqualification of four rebel MLAs under the Anti-Defection law after they repeatedly remained defiant, skipping the assembly session and legislature party meetings.

The Congress petitioned the Assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar, seeking action against lawmakers Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, Mahesh Kumathali and B Nagendra weeks after giving them warnings to mend their ways and fall in line.

Congress Legislature Party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met the Speaker and gave him a letter along with supporting documents to disqualify the four MLAs.

Siddaramaiah,who also heads the JDS-Congress coordination committee, was accompanied by deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara and Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Later, Rao tweeted, "@siddaramaiah and myself have petitioned the Hon'ble Speaker, to disqualify 4 of our MLAs under the rules of the anti-defection law.

Despite repeated notices & issuing of whips they have been found to be in violation by their continued absence."