Karnataka govt puts up brave face as two more Cong MLAs resign

Hours after Vijayanagara Congress MLA Anand Singh submitted his resignation to Speaker Ramesh Kumar, his party colleague and rebel legislator Ramesh Jarkiholi, too, sent in his resignation.

The developments amid reports that some more MLAs of the national party were expected to resign soon caused jitters to the JDS-Congress coalition leaders with another phase of uncertainty looming large over the government’s stability. Chief Minister Kumaraswamy, who is on a private visit to the US, said he was keeping a tab on the developments while the state Congress attacked the BJP, alleging the opposition party was trying to destabilise the government.

State Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao, however, asserted there was no threat to the government and it would complete its term. The resignations came just two weeks after Kumaraswamy expanded his cabinet on June 14, inducting two Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh as ministers in an apparent move to give stability to the government, which has been grappling with dissidence.

The developments unfolded with Singh initially saying he submitted his resignation letter at the Speaker’s city residence, but Kumar denied it following which the MLA handed over a copy of it to Governor Vajubhai R Vala later. “It is true that I have submitted my resignation,” Singh told reporters emerging from the Raj Bhavan.