The former Minister and BJP MLA Basavaraj Patil Attur, representing Basavakalyan Assembly Constituency in Bidar district, has resigned from the primary membership of the BJP and has also faxed his resignation from the Assembly to Speaker K.G. Bopaiah on Friday.
Mr. Attur announced his decision to resign from the Assembly at a press conference addressed by the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is also president of the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP). “I have faxed by resignation letter to the Speaker and will submit the resignation letter personally to him during my visit to Bangalore on January 5,” Mr. Attur said.
He said that he considered that it was morally wrong on his part to continue as a member of the BJP and also MLA representing the BJP and participate in the launch of the Jana Snehi Yatra of the KJP along with Mr. Yeddyurappa in Basavakalyan on Friday, and decided to submit his resignation.
Appreciating the stand taken by the legislator, Mr. Yeddyurappa announced that Mr Attur would be the KJP candidate from Basavakalyan. “Mr Attur has maintained high standards in public life,” he said. Asked whether the resignation of Mr Attur was the signal that other MLAs supporting him (Mr Yeddyurappa) would follow suit, Mr Yeddyurappa replied in affirmative.
‘Quit in batches’
Meanwhile, sources in the KJP said that Mr. Yeddyurappa is not comfortable with Mr. Shettar getting ready to present the State budget as that would provide an opportunity for the dispensation headed by him to build a political constituency. Mr. Yeddyurappa, who has set a January 20 deadline for his supporters in the BJP to quit, is said to be bringing pressure on his followers among MLAs to quit in small batches starting from a few days from now. But it is still not clear as to how many MLAs have actually agreed to quit.
However, the BJP is confident that it would be possible for Mr. Shettar to present the budget — tentatively in February second week. The party feels that it may not be possible for Mr. Yeddyurappa to muster the support of the required number of MLAs to topple the government before the budget. Besides, the fact that the Opposition parties are not keen on moving a no-confidence motion too has instilled confidence in the BJP about government’s survival.
Meanwhile speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Legislative Assembly Secretary P. Omprakash made it clear that as per norms, resignations of MLAs sent through fax or by post cannot be accepted. “Only the resignations submitted in person before the Speaker in proper format will be accepted,” he noted. The office of the Speaker was yet to get any resignation letter from Mr. Attur till late evening, he said.
