Congress’ Rajya Sabha member KC Ramamurthy from Karnataka resigns

Ramamurthy’s resignation comes amid speculation that he is joining the BJP. Absent from some of Karnataka Congress’s meetings and activities in the last few months, Ramamurthy had met senior leaders in the BJP last week, before tendering his resignation.

KC Ramamurthy, Congress member from Karnataka, on Wednesday resigned as a member of Rajya Sabha. His resignation letter has been accepted by vice-president and Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu.

Ramamurthy’s resignation comes amid speculation that he is joining the BJP. Absent from some of Karnataka Congress’s meetings and activities in the last few months, Ramamurthy had met senior leaders in the BJP last week, before tendering his resignation.

Ramamurthy, who owns a group of educational institutions in and around Karnataka, was made the Rajya Sabha member from the state despite resistance from the state unit in June in 2016 by the party’s former general secretary (organisation) Digvijaya Singh.

The leaders in BJP Karnataka, requesting anonymity, have said that it is unlikely that the party will make Ramamurthy a member of the Upper House from the party now.

Ramamurthy is a former Indian Police Service officer. He was appointed a member of the Parliamentary committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice in September this year.