Karnataka Assembly Speaker pledges to keep constitution above party

Bengaluru: Stating that Constitution is supreme to him, Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar said that he has to verify each of the resignation letters submitted by 13 Congress and the JD(S) rebel MLAs before adjudicating on it.

Speaking to newsmen, here on Tuesday before entering his Vidhana Soudha office, He said, "I am presiding over an office which is a constitutionally paramount, and whatever decision I would be given it will set a precedent. I will take careful steps as any decision that I take will be part of Legislature history from now on."

The 13-month old JD(S)-Congress coalition government plunged into a deep crisis over the last three days after 10 Congress and 3 JD(S) MLAs tendered their resignation to their seats while two Independent MLAs, who were recently made ministers, also withdrew their support to the government, virtually pushing the coalition government into minority status.

Maintaining that there was no High Command for him, the Speaker said, "I will go by the spirit of the Constitution as for as taking decision on the resignations of the 13 MLAs".

Replying to questions, he said that "I have not received any complaints against the rebel MLAs, if any; I will also go through it".

He also said that "I will act according to my conscious taking into considerations of protecting the expectations of the people and the Constitution".

In an interesting observation, Ramesh Kumar indicated that he would not accept the resignations of the MLAs unless he spoke to them personally.

Most of the 13 rebel MLAs were flown to Mumbai in a chartered flight soon after their tendered their resignation to Speaker's office in his absence on Saturday. The two independent MLAs also joined them yesterday.

The Congress party had accused that the MLAs were virtually hijacked by the BJP as it had arranged their passage to Mumbai.(UNI)