Two days after JD(S)-Congress coalition government lost its trust vote, Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Thursday announced the disqualification of Independent MLA R Shankar, who supported the government but switched sides.
The Speaker also disqualified MLAs Ramesh L Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli, both belonged to the Congress and had resigned earlier this month.
#Karnataka assembly speaker #KRRameshKumar: Independent MLA R Shankar has been disqualified pic.twitter.com/Ye0Cr0oG8f
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) July 25, 2019
Addressing media in Bengaluru, Kumar said: “Everyone has noticed the past developments in which some MLAs resigned and party leaders gave complaint against those legislators under the 10th schedule. I have issues related to 17 MLAs with me, in which two are for disqualification and 15 of resignation, for which their party leaders expect disqualification too”.
Elaborating on the decision, the speaker said that none of the three MLAs can contest elections till the term of this house is complete (May 2023). They cannot contest if there is a by-election on these seats either. However, the decision of the speaker can be challenged.
He also said that he would announce his decision on other MLAs soon. “I still have many cases with me and I may require more days to act on others, I will come with others soon,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress hailed the Speaker’s decision to disqualify three rebel MLAs.
ಕೆಸರಲ್ಲಿ ಕಮಲ ಕೀಳಲು ಹೋಗಿ ತ್ರಿಶಂಕು ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಗೊಳಗಾದ ಅತೃಪ್ತ ಶಾಸಕರು.@BJP4India ಅನೈತಿಕ ಆಪರೇಷನ್ ಕಮಲಕ್ಕೆ ಒಳಗಾಗಿ ಪಕ್ಷ, ಜನಾದೇಶ, ಪ್ರಜಾಪ್ರಭುತ್ವಕ್ಕೆ ದ್ರೋಹ ಬಗೆದವರಿಗೆ ಶಿಕ್ಷೆ.#VictoryForDemocracy pic.twitter.com/Zs7jKOSzKO
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) July 25, 2019
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The Congress-JD(S) coalition government fell on Tuesday as it lost the trust vote in the Assembly. Following the defeat, Kumaraswamy submitted his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan, along with his cabinet ministers.
The defeat marked the end of an uneasy coalition that was formed after the assembly polls on May 23, 2018, which returned a hung verdict after three main parties in the state- Congress, BJP and the JD(S) contested against each other in the polls.
(With ANI inputs)