D S Suresh, Tarikeri MLA, quits Karnataka assembly membership
Madikeri (Karnataka): Compounding problems for the ruling BJP in Karnataka, one more party MLA loyal to KJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa today resigned.
D.S. Suresh, elected from Tarikeri Assembly constituency, drove to Madikeri from Bangalore and personally handed over his resignation letter to Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah.
Suresh visited the Speaker’s office in Bangalore to submit his resignation, but Bopaiah was not in office.
The MLA, who wanted to resign on January 23 along with 12 others, tried to hand over hid letter to Assembly Secretary Omprakash, who said he had no authority to receive it.
An obdurate Suresh, accompanied by former MLA, B.P. Harish travelled all the way to Madikeri.
“I have received the resignation letter of Suresh. I will take further steps on it,” Bopaiah, who came under fire for delaying acceptance of resignations of 12 MLAs on January 29, told reporters.
This is not the first time MLAs have gone in search of the Speaker to submit their resignation. Earlier, B Sreeramulu, who has now floated BSR Congress, also waited for hours for Bopaiah in this town to tender his resignation.
On January 23, 13 MLAs went to the Speaker’s office to submit their resignation letters, but Bopaiah was away from the city.
If Suresh’s resignation is accepted, the ruling BJP’s strength will be reduced to 104 in the 224-member House. Congress has 71, JD-S 26 and Independents seven (one of whom is supporting the Government and is in the Ministry) and the Speaker.
Suresh’s resignation, coming two days ahead of the budget session commencing from February 4 has caused consternation in the ruling dispensation.
On January 29 Bopaiah had late in the night accepted the resignation of 12 rebel BJP MLAs identified with KJP.
Thirteen MLAs had met him at the state secretariat that day and tendered their resignations from Assembly membership in person, several hours after which they were accepted.
The resignation of Vittala Katakadonda was not accepted for “technical reasons”.
On January 28, BJP had submitted through two of his MLAs a petition to the Speaker’s office seeking disqualification of the 12 MLAs for “anti-party activities”.
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