5 Congress MLAs missing, Siddaramaiah cracks the whip

Bengaluru, 07 Feb 2019 [Fik/News Sources]: The coalition government was edgy on the opening day of the budget session of legislature as five Congress legislators skipped the Governor's address despite a whip issued by Siddaramaiah, leader of Congress legislature party (CLP), prompting the former chief minister to talk tough and warn legislators of harsh action in case they stay away from another meeting of the legislature party scheduled for Friday, the day when Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy would present his second budget.

On Wednesday, four rebel legislators-former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, Dr Umesh Jadhav, Mahesh Kumtahalli, and B. Nagendra-did not attend the session. Ditto with J.N. Ganesh, who has remained at large from the day he was involved in a brawl with former minister Anand Singh, and C.S. Shivalli, who was among legislators wooed by BJP, but who did not turn up as he was hospitalized. Mr Jarkiholi and Mr Nagendra, however, informed Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar in advance that they would not be in a position to attend the budget session for personal reasons. Mr Ganesh stayed away from the proceedings fearing his arrest in the case of assault on Mr Anand Singh. Another Congress legislator, B.C. Patil, too, skipped the proceedings but sources in the party explained that he was busy with his daughter's wedding.

Leaders of the principal Opposition, BJP, attempted to make the most of the cracks in the coalition, circulating a list with 11 names of MLAs of Congress and JD (S) who would skip the Governor's address to the joint session as they had lost faith in the government. But some of the legislators who figured in this list-Mr Pratap Gowda  Maski, Mr Basavaraj Daddal and Mr Narayana Gowda did turn up in the House much to the embarrassment of BJP leaders who subsequently disrupted the Governor's address on grounds that the coalition had lost the moral right to continue in office.

In the evening, Mr Siddaramaiah warned rebel legislators of stringent action while addressing Congress  leaders. "This is a warning for those who think that they can get away by writing letters. Notices have been issued, and they are pretty clearly worded. Nobody should try to act smart. The party knows how to handle tricky customers. We will act tough this time, and will not hesitate to ask Speaker to initiate action under the anti-defection Act," he said adding that the party would  lodge a complaint with the Speaker once any MLA does not attend the legislature party meeting on Friday. During the session, the Governor could not complete his address  in view of the protest by  BJP members who alleged he was being "made to read lies".