Amidst high drama which saw infuriated party workers venting their ire on the eight MLAs who voted for Congress candidates in Saturday’s Rajya Sabha elections, the JD(S) suspended the rebels at an off
Amidst high drama which saw infuriated party workers venting their ire on the eight MLAs who voted for Congress candidates in Saturday’s Rajya Sabha elections, the JD(S) suspended the rebels at an office bearers’ meeting on Sunday.
The suspended MLAs are Mr Zameer Ahamed Khan, Mr N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Mr H.C. Balakrishna, Mr Akhanda Srinivasmurthy, Mr Iqbal Ansari, Mr Gopalaiah, Mr Bhima Naika and Mr Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda. JD(S) legislature party deputy leader Y.S.V. Datta moved the resolution for their suspension which was seconded by former minister B.B. Ningaiah and MLC Saravana.
Even before the meeting started at Palace Grounds, JD(S) workers tore posters of rebel MLA, Gopalaiah, his wife and BBMP deputy mayor Hemalata and others. At this point, Mr Datta proposed the resolution for suspending the MLAs which was signed by Mr Deve Gowda himself. Party state president H.D. Kumaraswamy was absent as he is away on a film shooting schedule in Bulgaria.
In his speech, Mr Gowda attacked the rebels and promised to cultivate parallel leaders in all eight constituencies. ''I will see how they win in Nagamangala and Magadi (Cheluvarayaswamy and H.C. Balakrishna’s seats) with Zameer’s money. During the move to transfer power to the BJP (in 2006-07), Zameer, Cheluvarayaswamy and Balakrishna tried to take Kumaraswamy for a ride. I could have thrown them out of the party then but I restrained myself,’’ Mr Gowda thundered.
''Let these eight MLAs keep hobnobbing with Mr Siddaramaiah for the next two years. I will hold a rally of four lakh people in November and prepare the party for the next election. I will not be a silent spectator,’’ the former PM concluded.
His son H.D. Revanna said the eight MLAs were “Shanis” (inauspicious) and had gone to the Congress as they had been affected by “Shani.” He vent his ire on ministers D.K. Shivakumar and A. Manju and alleged that money had changed hands between Congress leaders and the rebels during the polls.
