Sitting BJP MLA dies

Sitting BJP Member of Karnataka
Legislative Assembly R Jagadish Kumar died following heart attack at a private hospital here today.
Kumar (58) who represented Hebbal Assembly constituency in the city, attended the ongoing assembly session till this afternoon.
He also actively participated in the protest organised by the state BJP against Congress government on a host of issues this morning.
Several MLAs and MLCs including Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Opposition Leader Jagadish Shettar and other visited the hospital to pay their last respects.
Remembering Kumar's active participation in the assembly, Siddaramaiah said, "he was a good parliamentarian."

Former Chief Minister and BJP National Vice President B S Yeddyurappa, expressing shock over Kumar's death, said "I had a good conversation with him just this morning, though first time as MLA, the way Jagadish used to discuss on various public issues was great."

Both the MLAs had submitted their resignations to the
then Speaker Nabam Rebia on September 16 last year and it was accepted on September 30.
Rebia had subsequently issued a notification on October 1, saying the two seats had fallen vacant and that the Election Commission of India (ECI) would be informed accordingly.
The two MLAs had moved the High Court, which on October 9, stayed the notification that declared Kanubari and Khonsa East Assembly seats, from where the 2 MLAs were elected, as vacant.
The court had also directed the ECI not to go ahead with plans for holding by-polls in the constituencies.

Before filing their appeal in the High Court, Wangsu and Sawin, had in separate letters to Rebia, withdrawn their resignations stating that they were forced into it by the then Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and that the letters be treated as "invalid, null and void until and unless submitted in person".
The Speaker then filed a petition in Gauhati High Court
which was accepted by the court and resignations of both the MLAs were accepted.
A Special Leave Petition was filed by the MLAs before the
Supreme Court challenging the High Court ruling which was also dismissed on February 9.

The Election Commission had called for a bypoll in May which was challenged as they filled a Review Petition before the Supreme Court which led to the deferment of the bypoll.
Wangsu, when contacted termed it as the "victory of democracy" and added that justice ultimately done and truth has achieved triumph.
"It has given me more reasons to have full faith in the Indian judiciary," Wangsu added.