Dissident ridden JD(S) suspend 8 rebel MLAs

Bengaluru, Jun 12 : The Working Committee of the Janata Dal(S) in Karnataka today ordered the suspension of eight Legislative Assembly members who defied the whip of the party during the biennial election to the Rajya Sabha from the state held yesterday. The JD(S) led by H D Deve Gowda received serious setback in the election, where its official nominee M A Farooq lost garnering 33 votes against the
party MLA member strength of 40.
Earlier, the party had also received reverse due to cross voting when its second candidate in the Legislative Council election lost
in the election held on June 11. In the Office bearers meeting of the JD(S) presided over by its
President H D Deve Gowda, the legislators and office bearers, decided to suspend the eight legislators of the Assembly for going against
the party whip. The dissidents openly revolted against the party voting for
Congress party candidate, as they showed their ballot papers to party agent in the poll room.
JD(S) spokesperson Ramesh Babu told UNI that the eight legislators who voted against were suspended from the party following
an unanimous decision of the State Political committee meeting held here.
”We have suspended the eight MLAs from the party pending further explanation and such misbehaviour cannot be tolerated. Janata Dal (S)
is strong in Karnataka and it will bounce back stronger after the defeats in the two elections and the dissidents will be taught a
lession,” he said. Earlier, speaking at the meeting of legislators and office
bearers of the JD(S) held here,Mr Deve Gowda said the party had not indulged in ‘money politics’ in electing M A
Farooq as its nominee. But he lost the election due to corrupt ways of ruling Congress party indulged in, he said.
The suspended MLAs of the JD(S) were — Jameer Ahamed Khan, N Chaluvarayaswamy, H C Balakrishna, Akanda Srinivasamurthy, K
Gopalaiah, Bhima Naika, Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda and Iqbal Ansari.