Acting on a complaint by chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on anti-party activities, Karnataka assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah on Friday served notices to 11 rebel BJP MLAs under the provisions of the anti-defection law.
The move was considered as a pressure tactic by the BJP to quell dissidence to save its tottering government. Assembly secretary S.B. Patil served notice on 11 dissident MLAs, including minister for excise M.P. Renukacharya.
Patil said the MLAs on whom the notice has been issued have to meet the speaker before October 10 by 5pm and tender their explanation, a day before Mr Yeddyurappa would seek a confidence vote as per the instruction from governor H.R. Bhardwaj.
The rebels are currently camping in a hotel in Goa. The action by the speaker comes in the wake of 14 BJP MLAs submitting a letter to governor H.R. Bharadwaj on October six, informing their decision to withdraw support to the BJP government.
Those got the notice besides Renukacharya are: Belur Gopalakrishna, Balachandra Jarkiholi, Shivanagouda Naik, H.S. Shankaralinge Gowda, Y. Sampangi, Anand Asnotikar, Sarbhouma Bagali, G.N. Nanjundaswamy, Baramgouda H. Kage and M.V. Nagaraju.