In a big relief for the Congress, all four of its “rebel” MLAs — who were facing disqualification for defying the party whip and skipping legislature party meetings and later the legislature session — attended the session on Wednesday.
The four Congress MLAs and a JD(S) MLA, who were said to have been holed up in Mumbai for more than a week, retuned to the city on Tuesday night.
The Congress had earlier submitted a petition to the Speaker seeking disqualification of the four lawmakers under the anti-defection law. Sources said that all of them — Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, B. Nagendra, and Mahesh Kumathalli — have decided to support the Finance Bill for avoiding disqualification. The governing dispensation agreeing to institute a probe by Special Investigation Team into the audio clip controversy is also said to have pushed them towards a change of heart.
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JD(S) MLA for K.R. Pet K.C. Narayana Gowda, who had claimed he was hospitalised in Mumbai owing to food poisoning even as BJP sources claimed he was with them, also returned to Bengaluru. He was welcomed by Tourism Minister Sa.Ra. Mahesh at Kempegowda International Airport on Tuesday night. He said reports of him jumping camp to the BJP were unfounded rumours.
Of the five MLAs, three spoke to mediapersons claiming they were not in touch with the BJP, were not going to resign, and would take part in the Assembly session on Wednesday. During the session, however, most other Congress leaders were seen maintaining a distance with the four legislators.
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Mr. Kumathalli (Athani MLA) told reporters that he had not attended the CLP meeting and the Assembly session owing to ill-health and had now come to take part in the session. “There were issues within the party that went out of hand. I have spoken to my leaders and will remain in the party. I was stuck between two leaders of the party and their differences,” he said, obliquely referring to Mr. Jarkiholi, who led the rebellion, and D.K. Shivakumar, with whom the former is known to have differences.
‘No comments on Kharge’
Umesh Jadhav (Chincholi MLA) said he had explained his absence to the party leaders. “It is true that I have some issues in my constituency. My leader is Siddaramaiah and I will sort the issues out. While I am not a ministerial aspirant, my constituents want me to see as a Minister.” He added, “I am not quitting the Congress.”
When asked about reports that he would contest as the BJP candidate from Kalaburagi against Congress Leader in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge, he said he had also seen such reports in the media but was not aware of any such developments. He said he would not comment on Mr. Kharge, whom he described as “a tall leader”, and said he would speak about him when the time was right.