Stand By Decision, Won't Attend Assembly, Say Karnataka Rebel Lawmakers

Hailing the Supreme Court direction on Karnataka political crisis, rebel Congress-JDS lawmakers camping in Mumbai said there is no question of going back on their resignations from the Assembly or attending the session.

"We are happy with the decision of the Honourable Supreme Court, we honour it," rebel Congress legislator BC Patil said in a video released to the media, a day ahead of the trial of strength in the Karnataka assembly.

Flanked by 11 other Congress-JD(S) legislators who have quit, he said: "We all are together and whatever decision we have taken... at any cost no question of going back (on resignations). We stand by our decision. No question of going to assembly."

The Supreme Court directed that the 15 rebel Congress and JD(S) legislators "ought not" to be compelled to take part in the proceedings of the Assembly, where Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is slated to face the floor test on July 18.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also said the Speaker was free to decide on the resignations of the rebel leaders within the time-frame decided by him. The court further said the Speaker's decision be put before it.

The court was hearing the plea of 15 rebel legislators of Congress and JD(S) seeking direction to the Speaker to accept their resignations from the Assembly.

As many as 16 lawmakers -- 13 from the Congress and three from JD(S) -- have resigned, while independent legislators S Shankar and H Nagesh have withdrawn their support to the coalition government, keeping it on the edge.

The ruling coalition's strength in the House is 117 -- Congress, 78, JD(S), 37, BSP, 1, and nominated 1, besides the speaker.

With the support of the two independents, the opposition BJP has 107 lawmakers in the 225-member House, including the nominated lawmakers and Speaker. If the resignations are accepted, the ruling coalition's tally will be plummet to 101, reducing the 13 month-old Kumaraswamy government to a minority. According to official sources, nominated member too has a right to vote.