JDS rebel MLA resigns from Karnataka assembly

Rebel JDS legislator M C Ashwath resigned on Friday as a member of the Karnataka assembly apparently to avoid action by his party for defying its whip during Thursday's trust vote, which was won by the ruling BJP government.

Rebel JDS legislator M C Ashwath resigned on Friday as a member of the Karnataka assembly apparently to avoid action by his party for defying its whip during Thursday's trust vote, which was won by the ruling BJP government.

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Ashwath, an MLA from Chennapatna constituency, submitted his resignation earlier in the day which was accepted by Speaker K G Bopaiah, Assembly Secretariat sources said here.

Ashwath, believed to have been poached by the ruling BJP, stayed away from the assembly proceedings yesterday during which Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa won the motion of confidence for the second time in a gap of four days.

Following Ashwath's resignation, the JDS strength in the 224-member house has come down to 27.

Ashwath remained untraced for the past few days and JDS complained to Governor H R Bhardwaj that its party legislator had been kept in an undisclosed location by BJP.

Sources in BJP indicated that Ashwath might join the party. JDS had announced it would seek Ashwath's disqualification.