In a fresh trouble for the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress government in Karnataka, Congress MLAs Anand Singh and Ramesh Jarkiholi resigned from the Assembly on Monday, bringing the party’s strength down to 77. Mr. Singh represents Vijaynagara in Ballari district, while Mr. Jarkiholi was elected from Gokak in Belagavi district. Both have earlier been identified with the “rebel” camp that has threatened to destabilise the government.
Exits contained?
Despite widespread speculation that more resignations would follow, the number stayed at two at the end of the day. The developments come even as Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is in the U.S. on a private visit. Mr. Singh submitted his resignation letter to Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar and later met Governor Vajubhai Vala at the Raj Bhavan before announcing that he had resigned.
He cited the Kumaraswamy government’s decision to sell 3,667.31 acres to JSW Steel in Ballari and the “injustice” meted out to the district as the prime reasons for his resignation.
Ramesh Jarkiholi, who had faxed his resignation letter to the Speaker, has been threatening to quit the party ever since he was dropped from the Cabinet in December 2018. He has also been leading a group of disgruntled Congress legislators. The Congress has been fighting dissidence since the formation of the coalition government. Several legislators have been openly critical of the party and staying away from legislature party meetings.