BENGALURU: Speaker Ramesh Kumar, who had asked the four ‘rebel MLAs’ — Umesh Jadhav (resigned), Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumtalli and B Nagendra — to appear in person before him on Tuesday, himself remained absent for the meeting. Kumar had summoned the four MLAs, and was also expected to inquire into issues raised against them by former CM Siddaramaiah.
The speaker had served a notice on March 7, following a petition by Siddaramaiah that was considered to seal the fate of the four. Jadhav resigned on March 4 and joined BJP on March 6, but the petition seeking to disqualify him was dated February 11.
Jadhav was asked for clarifications by the speaker, but when he appeared with written clarifications on Tuesday at the speaker’s office he was told to give it to the speaker’s secretary because Kumar was not present. A source said, “The speaker’s notice may have long-standing ramifications.’’ In Tamil Nadu, the speaker had invoked the anti-defection provisions and disqualified 18 MLAs a few months back.