HUBBALLI: Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah lashed out at Chincholi MLA Umesh Jadhav for defecting to the BJP. Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, he said it will be difficult for Speaker Ramesh Kumar to accept Jadhav’s resignation. Jadhav was among four MLAs - Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak), Mahesh Kamatalli (Athani) and B Nagendra (Ballari Rural) - against whom the party has sought action for repeatedly defying the party whip, he added.
The Speaker has to consider the plea before him on taking action against Jadhav under the anti-defection law first, he told reporters here on Tuesday. According to the law, Jadhav can be dismissed from the party but his resignation cannot be accepted.
Siddaramaiah added that Jadhav has been elected twice as a member of the Congress. But now he has quit the party, enticed by the BJP’s Operation Lotus. This action of Jadhav attracts anti-defection law, so the speaker is unlikely to accept his resignation.Siddaramaiah, however, alleged that he has no corroborating evidence but it is being said in political circles that Jadhav has received huge sums to defect to BJP.