13 BJP MLAs make vain bid to submit resignation

Bangalore, 23 Jan 2013 (PTI): In a high voltage drama at the Assembly Speaker’s office, 13 ruling BJP MLAs, loyal to former party strongman B S Yeddyurappa, today made a vain bid to submit their resignation from assembly membership insisting that the government had been reduced to a minority.

 

The legislators led by Public Works Minister C M Udasi and Power Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who resigned earlier in the day today, reached Speaker K G Bopaiah’s office in Vidhan Soudha, the state secretariat, with their hand written resignation letters.

 

However, neither Bopaiah, who was not in station, nor the Assembly Legislature Secretary Omprakash were present when the MLAs arrived.

 

After waiting for about an hour, the agitated MLAs insisted that some official of assembly secretariat either receive their resignation letters or give an acknowledgement that they are not empowered to receive them.

 

Udasi insisted on an acknowledgement, but Joint Secretary Jayatheertha Galali said, "As Joint Secretary I can’t accept it. Please come and submit resignations when Speaker comes to office".

 

Enraged over the development, former chief minister and Karnataka Janata Party supremo Yeddyurappa rushed into the Vidhana Soudha, hit out at the speaker’s absence and also chief minister Jagadish Shettar.

 

"Jagadish Shettar government has been reduced to a minority. He has no moral right to continue in office. The chief minister should call off his tour, return to the city and resign forthwith", Yeddyurappa demanded.

 

Yeddyurappa also took a dig at Bopaiah, who, he said, had been alerted yesterday about the resignation of MLAs, but has left on a tour.

 

"It is a shameful government.Shettar should meet the Governor and tender resignation of his government", he said.

 

"We will tell the Governor H R Bhardwaj that this government cannot continue in office as it has been reduced to a minority," he said.

 

The MLAs who are ready to resign are C M Udasi, Nehru Olekar, Thippeswamy, B P Harish, H Halappa, Suresh Gowda Patil, Shobha Karandlaje, S I Chikkangoudar, Suresh, G Shivanna, Chandrappa, V S Patil and Basavaraj Patil Attur.