Two more Congress legislators resign, taking total to 16

Supporters of Karnataka Congress and JD(S) shout slogans as police take them into preventive custody, in Bengaluru. Pic /AFP

Bengaluru: In a fresh jolt to the wobbly Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka, two Congress legislators, housing minister M T B Nagaraj and K Sudhakar, tendered their resignations on Wednesday to the Speaker, taking the number of disgruntled MLAs who have quit to 16.

The development comes even as D K Shivakumar, Karnataka's water resources minister, the Congress' troubleshooter, was detained and sent packing back to Bengaluru from Mumbai, where he was prevented by the police from meeting the rebel MLAs. The ruling Congress-JDS coalition faces the threat of losing majority in the Assembly if the resignations are accepted, as its current tally is 116 in the 224-member House.

Confirming the resignations, Ramesh Kumar told reporters, "Yes, Sudhakar and M T B Nagaraj have resigned. Soon after submitting his resignation Nagaraj went and met Governor Vajubhai Vala, informing him about his decision. On the other hand, high drama prevailed when Sudhakar came out of the Speaker's office after tendering his resignation. Angry Congress leaders, including social welfare minister Priyank Kharge surrounded him, demanding that he withdraw his resignation. BJP workers staged a demonstration outside the secretariat, demanding that Sudhakar be allowed to leave and entered into an altercation with Congress leaders. Later, Sudhakar was escorted to the Raj Bhavan with police protection.

BJP demands CM's resignation

The Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka demonstrated outside the Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday to demand that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy step down from office, claiming his government has lost majority after 14 MLAs of the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance submitted their resignations. Several state BJP leaders, including former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa, took part in the protest led by state president B S Yeddyurappa in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue at the Vidhana Soudha.

116
Current tally of the Cong-JDS in Assembly

10
No. of rebel MLAs who have filed a petition in SC

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