1 Congress, 3 JD(S) MLAs submit their resignations to speaker

Political crisis continues in Karnataka following resignations of nine MLAs from Congress and three from JD(S). Senior Congress leaders have been holding hectic parleys in Bengaluru since the morning to defuse the situation.

On Sunday, the Congress National General Secretary K C Venugopal and other state leaders held series of meetings and tried to reach out to the rebel MLAs.

Both the alliance partners, Congress and the JD(S) have convened legislative party meetings. The state Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who arrived in Bengaluru Sunday evening, headed to a hotel where senior leaders of the Congress are likely to meet him.

The meeting, which will be chaired by former Chief Minister Siddramaiah, is likely to discuss ways to save the coalition Government. A letter has also been forwarded to all the legislators with a caution that their absence in the legislative party meeting will be viewed seriously.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress leader and member of legislative council, Mari Thibbe Gowda today met rebel Congress leader, Ramesh Jarakiholi at the Sofitel hotel in Mumbai. Eight rebel Congress leaders including Jarakiholi and three rebel Janata Dal (secular) MLAs are staying at the hotel since last night.

Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge said that the party leaders are in constant touch with the rebels and efforts are on to persuade them to withdraw their resignations.

Meanwhile, BJP on Sunday rubbished Congress party’s charge of creating political crisis in the state. GVL Narsimha says resignations are results of internal conflicts within Cong-JDS coalition.