Independent MLA Nagesh quits, says ready to support BJP

Bengaluru: Independent MLA H Nagesh reportedly met Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Monday and submitted his resignation letter.

H Nagesh’s in his letter to the Governor said, “I have already withdrawn my support to the government headed by Shri H D Kumaraswamy. I would further by this letter unequivocally state that I would extend my support to the government of Bharatiya Janata Party if called for by your good self.”

On June 14, Kumaraswamy expanded his cabinet by inducting two Independent MLAs Nagesh and Shankar in an apparent move to give stability to his 13-month-old wobbly government.

The exercise was seen as a move to ensure the two Independents don’t jump ship.

Nagesh, a former Congress member, contested and won as an Independent after not getting a party ticket in the 2018 assembly polls.

In December last year, Shankar and he sided with the BJP and wrote to the governor withdrawing support to the government for not being inducted into the ministry during the cabinet rejig then.

As the BJP failed in its alleged attempts to topple the coalition and form the government, the two lawmakers retraced their steps to get back in the ruling alliance.

With Nagesh’s resignation, a total of fourteen MLAs of the ruling JD(S)-Congress alliance in Karnataka have submitted their resignation to the Speaker, putting a question mark on the survival of the 13-month-old government.

If the resignations are accepted, the wobbly ruling coalition will lose majority in the 224-member Assembly as its strength will come down to 104.