Bangalore: In a jolt to JDS, two of its MLCs
today resigned their Council membership, dashing its hopes of
bagging the post of Opposition leader in the House.
B Gurudev and N Thippanna submitted their resignation
letters to Legislative Council Chairman Veeranna Mathikatti
and they have been accepted, official sources said here.
The sudden development is being viewed as an attempt by
the ruling BJP to renew its "Operation Lotus", a campaign of
striking at opposition parties and luring their legislators.
The resignations are being seen as BJP's move to deprive
JDS the post of opposition leader in the 75-member House.
Following retirement of three nominated members
yesterday, the strength of Congress came down to 16 from 19,
which had posed a threat to that party's Motamma, now
occupying the opposition leader's post.
With its strength dwindling, the Congress was set to lose
the post to JDS, which had 17 members. But with today's
resignations, the JDS strength has come down to 15.
Speaking to reporters, Thippanna said the "ill-treatment"
meted out to him in JDS forced him to quit.
The BJP has 33 members in the House.
-PTI
First Published: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 22:57