JD(S) MLA from Shravanabelagola C S Putte Gowda submitted his resignation to Speaker K G Bopaiah in Ponnampet on Monday.
Putte Gowda told reporters in Madikeri that harassment by party supremo H D Deve Gowda in order to give the ticket to a relative, forced him to resign.
After accepting the resignation letter, Bopaiah said he would check the technical submission and then announce whether it is accepted or not.
Meanwhile in Bangalore, state JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy told Express that Puttegowda decided to quit the JD(S) as he was informed that he would not be given a ticket to contest the Assembly elections. Putte Gowda is likely to join the Congress, he added.
“Putte Gowda has lost the confidence of voters in his constituency and it would be difficult for him to win. His resignation would not affect the JD(S) prospects in Hassan district which has been a strong fortress of the party for years,” he said.
He warned Congress against indulging in “Operation Congress” to woo the legislators of other parties and said the party would meet the fate of the BJP which had resorted to “Operation Kamala” to improve its tally. “We are seeing what is happening to the ruling BJP. Any party which indulges in anti-democratic practices will meet a similar fate,” he warned.