Congress MLA Anand Singh resigns, jolt to Kumaraswamy govt
Congress MLA Anand Singh on Monday resigned from the Karnataka Assembly, delivering another jolt to the wobbly coalition government in the state.
“Yes. I have resigned. Today morning, I submitted the resignation,” Singh was quoted by PTI as saying. The MLA refused to disclose the reasons that led to his resignation.
Disgruntled Congress lawmaker Ramesh Jharkiholi (Gokak) and two other party leaders close to him – B.Nagendra (Ballari Rural) and Mahesh Kumthahalli (Athani) – are also said to be planning to put in their papers. JN Ganesh (Kampli) and BC Patil (Hirekerur) may also follow suit. Patil had been an aspirant for a Cabinet berth, but he has been missing the bus.
Last month’s Cabinet’s expansion has left a section of Congress MLAs unhappy as they were jockeying for a Cabinet position, or at least chairmanship at a Board or a Corporation. Quite a few MLAs have switched off their mobile phones.
JD(S) leader and Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, who is in the US for the foundation laying ceremony of a temple, tweeted that he was aware of the developments taking place in the state.
He said he was observing the situation, and that the BJP’s attempt to destabilise the government would not work.
Soon after the BJP returned to power at the Centre with a massive mandate, the JD(S) and the Congress leadership probably were least worried as they saw no visible threats from the BJP. The BJP central leadership, it was thought, is not in a hurry to topple the JD(S)-Congress regime, but it will not prevent if the regime were to fall on its own due to internal fights and conspiracies.
