KPCC President flays Jadhav for sabotaging the Party

Congress party in Karnataka on Monday suffered a major  setback after its party MLA Umesh Jadav quit his Assembly membership  from Chincholi seat and is all set to join BJP and contest against  Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha Mr Mallikarjuna Kharge from Kalaburgi  (Gulbarga) in the coming election.

Expressing displeasure over  the resignation by Mr Jadhav KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao said on  that, "Despite enjoying power and status in the party he (Jadhav)  backstabbed the Congress".

Speaking to newsmen here, Mr Gundu Rao  said that the resignation of Mr Jadhav will, however, not hurt any  prospects of the Congress in Karnataka.

Maintaining that the  party had made all efforts convince Mr Jadhav to remain in the party and  not fall prey to BJP lurings, he said, "despite of all this Mr Jadhav  chose to resign".

Criticising that Mr Jadhav by chosing to resign  to the party had betrayed the party, which had given all name and fame,  he said that "it is good that such saboteurs have left the party".

Referring  to a petition pending with the Speaker Ramesh Kumar seeking  disqualification of Jadhav, for defying the party whip, he expressed  confidence that "Speaker of the Assembly will take an appropriate action  on the issue".

In his reaction on Mr Jadhav, the KPCC working  president has said that "By joining the BJP Jadhav had resorted to  self-destruction".

Stating that he had tried in vain to convince  Jadhav from deserting the Congress he said that "People of the state  will punish him for his immoral act".

Mr Jadhav has submitted his  resignation letter to Karnataka Assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar in his  Srinivaspur residence in Kolar district.

Congress party had  sought disqualification of Mr Jadhav under the Anti-Defection Law for  skipping two legislature party meetings.

A Kalaburgi reports  quoting sources close to Mr. Jadhav said he had already made up his mind  to join BJP and the party had assured him Lok Sabha ticket to contest  against Mr Kharge from Kalaburgi reserved segment.

Incidentally,  Mr Kharge in his 55 year long political life has not lost a single  election. He had won the Lok Sabha seat 2014 with a margin of about  75,000 votes.