Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 3: It is said that differences of opinion have arisen between the 17 disqualified legislators, and they also have apprehensions about getting open welcome in the BJP. Rumours of secret meeting between MLA Munirathna, and former minister D K Shivakumar, in the meanwhile, has fuelled their apprehension.

The other MLAs are angry over the alleged secret meeting between R R Nagar MLA Munirathna and minister D K Shivakumar. Both Shivakumar and Munirathna dismissed this information as rumours. Still, it is said that the other legislators continue to nurse doubts about this denial.

Munirathna

It is said that H Vishwanath, B C Patil, and Ramesh Jarkiholi have objected to the fact that Munirathna spoke to media persons. They expressed anger at the legislator's initiative of talking to journalists although it was agreed that none of the disqualified legislators should speak to the media.

In the meantime, MLA Shrimant Patil, who had absented from the house as he was admitted into hospital for treatment of heart-related ailments, met former minister, Ramesh Jarkiholi, and expressed his consternation at having been disqualified by the speaker. He is said to have explained his predicament by saying that he has not been able to visit his constituency now and it has become impossible to appear before the people.

BJP leaders in the meantime have been saying that they would collect opinion from local party workers about admitting individual rebel MLAs to their party and a decision would be taken at core committee meeting. The party has pointed out that none of the disqualified legislators from the JD(S) and the Congress have claimed so far that they would join the BJP.

H Vishwanath, disqualified by the speaker, said that he would neither join the BJP not contest the elections. He clarified that the world is quite big and wondered whether it is difficult for the disqualified legislators to come together and form a new political party.

Shivakumar, in the meantime, said that he has learnt from the media that the BJP is trying to entice Congress MLAs. He said that the saffron party is free to take away whomsoever they want. On the question of the post of the leader of the opposition, he clarified that the posts of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president and leader of the opposition are not vacant now and he has remained just a former minister and MLA.