When asked whether all the disqualified MLAs would be given BJP ticket to contest in the upcoming bypolls, Yediyurappa said, “We have not discussed anything on those lines yet.”
Karnataka disqualified MLAs SC Verdict Highlights: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the then Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar’s decision disqualifying 17 MLAs. However, the Apex Court has allowed them to contest polls, striking down the provision fixing a time period for which they will remain disqualified.
The verdict is of high importance to the politicians as byelections to their 15 of their respective constituencies – except Rajarajeshwari Nagar (N Munirathna) and Maski (Pratapgouda Patil) – have been scheduled for December 5.
“All JD(S) and Congress MLAs…wanted to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Our state president (Nalinkumar Kateel) will receive them and will give them party membership,” Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa said after the BJP Core Committee Meeting held in Bengaluru.
Earlier, Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “If BJP has any morality left, they should not give tickets to the disqualified MLAs to contest.”
Karnataka bypolls:BJP announces leaders in-charge for 15 constitutencuies
Arvind Limbavalli - In-charge leaders for bypolls
1. Athani - K S Eshwarappa, Laxman Savadi
2. Kagawad - K S Eshwarappa, C C Patil
3. Gokak - Suresh Angadi, Sasikala Jolle
4. Yellapura - Pralhad Joshi, Kota Srinivasa Poojari
5. Hirekerur - Basavaraj Bommai
6. Rannebennur - Jagadish Shettar, Prabhu Chauhan
7. Vijayapura - Govind M Karjol, N Ravikumar
8. Chickballapura - D V Sadananda Gowda, C T Ravi
9. KR Puram - R Ashok, D V Sadananda Gowda
10. Yeshwantpur - R Ashok, Shobha Karandlaje
11. Mahalakshmi Layout - V Somanna, S Suresh Kumar
12. Shivajinagar- Nirmal Kumar Surana
13. Hoskote - C N Ashwath Narayan, S R Vishwanath
14. KR Pete - J Madhuswamy, Pritam Gowda
15. Hunsur - B Sriramulu, Pratap Simha
"All JD(S) and Congress MLAs...wanted to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Our state president (Nalinkumar Kateel) will receive them and will give them party membership," Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa said after the BJP Core Committee Meeting held in Bengaluru.
When asked whether all the disqualified MLAs would be given BJP ticket to contest in the upcoming bypolls, Yediyurappa said, "We have not discussed anything on those lines yet."
Ending speculation on whether all disqualified MLAs would join the BJP, disqualified MLA Ramesh Jharkiholi said, "All 17 of us will join the BJP in the party headquarters in Bengaluru on Thursday at 10.30 am."
When asked whether the disqualified MLAs would get BJP candidature from their respective constituencies, he added, "A final decision will be taken after discussions with BJP leaders tomorrow after we take membership in the party."
Reacting to the SC judgment, disqualified MLA and former JD(S) Karnataka president H Vishwanath said, "I will contest bypolls from Hunsur. I am confident of winning the elections to become a minister in the BJP government in Karnataka." He added that Ramesh Jharkiholi is "the leader of the disqualified MLAs."
Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda said on Wednesday that the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka would complete the term "without much botheration."
He was reacting to the Supreme Court verdict allowing 17 disqualified MLAs of Congress and JDS in Karnataka to contest the upcoming bypolls. The SC bench Wednesday also clarified that the disqualified MLAs cannot become ministers or hold public office if they aren't elected back during the bypolls.
"There is no question of either giving any berth in the cabinet or offering any cabinet member or board chairman post to them (17 disqualified MLAs), for all those who went to Bombay and came back to Bengaluru. Even though they have been permitted to contest elections, they have no scope of getting anything further," he said in Bengaluru.
He added, "Yediyurappa is now safe. Without much botheration, he can run the government (with majority)."
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has 224 members in total. As representation from 17 constituencies lie vacant as of now, the total has reduced to 207.
Here's how it looks now:
BJP - 106 (including the speaker)
Congress - 65
JD(S) - 34
BSP - 1
Independent - 1
Nominated - 1
Karnataka minister and BJP leader CT Ravi Wednesday alleged Karnataka Congress of playing "dirty politics through their (then) Speaker" K R Ramesh Kukar. "Today Supreme Court has ordered that these MLAs can contest the by-elections. This is nothing but a tight slap on their faces, particularly former CM @siddaramaiah," he wrote on Twitter.
In the case of the disqualified MLAs, @INCKarnataka leaders played "Dirty Politics" through their Speaker.
As uncertainty continues to loom over the political career of the disqualified MLAs who were formerly with the Congress and JD(S), sources told Indianexpress.com that top BJP leaders have assured bye-election tickets to all of them. "The MLAs have met our national secretary B L Santhosh in Delhi after which they have left to Bangalore. They (disqualified legislators) will join BJP first, after which the announcement of their candidature will be made," a BJP leader said.
Soon after the Supreme Court allowed the 17 disqualified MLAs of Congress and JDS in Karnataka to contest the upcoming bypolls, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa welcomed the judgment and said the BJP would take a call on the issue of giving them tickets to contest next month’s bypolls after consulting the party leadership at Centre.
“We will begin campaigning for all 15 constituencies from tomorrow. 101 per cent, we are going to win all seats,” Yediyurappa said in Bengaluru.
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The Supreme Court Wednesday ordered that the 17 Karnataka MLAs of the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), who were disqualified by former Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar in July this year from the 16th Legislative Assembly, can contest the upcoming bye-elections on December 5 even as it upheld the Speaker’s decision. Get full list here
Reacting to the Apex Court's verdict on the plea submitted bu disqualified MLAs in Karnataka, leader of opposition Siddaramaiah said, "The SC judgement proves that the MLAs defected the party with ulterior motives, hence their disqualification. The defection is neither voluntary nor genuine. Once an MLA is elected in a democratic setup, they can't switch parties as they wish."
Welcoming the Supreme Court judgment, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said, ""I have decided to begin campaigning for the Dec 5 bye-elections from tomorrow."
Former Congress MLAs
R Roshan Baig - Shivajinagar
Ramesh Jharkiholi - Gokak
Anand Singh - Vijaynagara
ST Somashekar - Yeshwantpur
Byrathi Basavaraj - KR Puram
BC Patil - Hirekerur
Shivaram Hebbar - Yellapur
Mahesh Kumathahalli - Athani
MTB Nagaraj - Hoskote
K Sudhakar - Chikkaballapura
Shrimant Patil - Kagwad
Former JDS MLAs
H Vishwanath - Hunsur
Narayana Gowda - KR Pete
K Gopalaiah - Mahalakshmi Layout
Former independent MLA
R Shankar - Ranebennur
The byelections to two constituencies – Rajarajeshwari Nagar (N Munirathna) and Maski (Pratapgouda Patil) – have not been scheduled for December 5 as various other cases from these constituencies are in Court.
As the nomination process for by-elections to 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka began on Monday, all three major political parties in Karnataka - BJP, Congress and JD(S) were waiting for the Supreme Court order on disqualification of the 17 Congress and JD(S) MLAs.
The naming of the candidates to these constituencies are expected to take place soon.
It can be recalled that the Congress had released its first list of eight candidates for the coming byelections to 15 Karnataka assembly constituencies, stealing a march over erstwhile coalition partner JDS and ruling BJP.
The Supreme Court has allowed the 17 Karnataka MLAs to contest the upcoming bye-elections on December 5. The Speaker had previously barred them from contesting election during the tenure of the current Assembly, which is until 2023. The MLAs are now hopeful to contest the elections, but the question on which party would give them the ticket remains.
The verdict is of high importance to the politicians as byelections to their 15 of their respective constituencies – except Rajarajeshwari Nagar (N Munirathna) and Maski (Pratapgouda Patil) – have been scheduled for December 5.
As the Supreme Court bench begins to read out the verdict on the plea submitted by disqualified Karnataka MLAs challenging the then Speaker, the SC says "It is equally binding on the govt and opposition."
Justice NV Ramana, who heads the bench, then adds, "We do not appreciate the manner in which the petitioners came to the Court."
The Supreme Court will pronounce judgments on three important matters, including on plea by 17 Karnataka MLAs challenging the then Speaker’s action of disqualifying them, in some time.
A bench of Justices N V Ramana, Sanjiv Khanna and Krishna Murari had reserved its judgment on the plea by the ex-MLAs on October 25.
Supporters of disqualified MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi perform 'Urulu Seva' at Lakshmi temple in Gokak, Belagavi district praying for a positive verdict for their legislator.
Ramesh Jharkiholi — once a Siddaramaiah associate - had since switched sides and led to the Congress-JD(S) government’s fall last year.
Following the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka on July 23 which led to BJP leader B S Yediyurappa taking oath as the 25th Chief Minister of the state on July 26, Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar disqualified 17 rebel MLAs who tendered resignations from July 1. The resignations had pushed the state to the a deep political crisis, which is yet to be overcome.
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The bypolls to 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka is seen as causing a strain in the Congress’s state leadership, with two of its tallest leaders, former CM Siddaramaiah and former minister D K Shivakumar, ostensibly pulling in different directions on the choice of candidates, especially for Belagavi region.
Siddaramaiah, popular among Congress MLAs, is said to be pitching for some of his old associates in constituencies in Belagavi region, while Shivakumar, who enjoys trust of the party high command, is keen to field BJP rebels in what is also seen as a personal battle for Shivakumar against former Congress leader from the region Ramesh Jharkiholi — once a Siddaramaiah associate who has since switched sides and led to the Congress-JD(S) government’s fall last year. Read more
The Supreme Court will deliver judgment on aspects of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, popularly known as the anti-defection law, on Wednesday in the context of the disqualification of 17 MLAs of the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in Karnataka.
The MLAs were disqualified from the 16th Karnataka Legislative Assembly by the then Speaker on July 25 and 28 this year under the anti-defection law, and were barred from contesting elections during the tenure of the current Assembly (which is until 2023). Read more
As uncertainty looms over the future of 17 politicians from Karnataka as the Supreme Court will announce the verdict on their plea to cancel their disqualification on Wednesday, we bring all updates from the Apex Court and from Karnataka LIVE to you. Keep following this blog for updated details.