Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Aug 27: Although the disqualified legislators succeeded in toppling the coalition government in the state and installing the BJP government in its place, their personal expectations have gone for a toss.
The new government has completed a month in office but the 17 disqualified legislators are in a limbo as they have ceased to be legislators and have failed to achieve the objectives of becoming ministers. Now they have a new worry at hand, of the election commission announcing bypoll.
Rebel MLAs from Congress and JD(S) (File photo)
Previous assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, had disqualified 17 legislators including three from the JD(S), an independent member, Shankar, who had become co-member of the Congress, and 13 Congress legislators. These legislators have not succeeded in securing stay order against the speaker's order so far. The petition filed by them against the speaker's order of disqualification has not yet been taken up by the Supreme Court for hearing. Till the court hears their petitions and announces its orders, they cannot participate in the new government. Their worries have compounded by the fact that the election commission, in the absence of stay order, might announce bypoll anytime.
As per the speaker's order, the disqualified legislators cannot fight bypoll if it is conducted now. Even if they field their relatives in the bypoll, there is no guarantee that the electorate will support them. They do not enjoy the support of workers of the current party. At the same time, they have no guarantee that BJP workers will support them.
The Supreme Court on Monday, rejected the plea of the disqualified legislators praying for urgent hearing of their petition for the second time. When advocate for the petitioners Mukul Rohatgi bought up the issue, the division bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice S V Raman, rejected the plea. It may be recalled that last week, the bench presided over by Justice Arun Mishra had struck down similar plea.