Karnataka Speaker accepts Congress MLA's resignation

Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar on Monday accepted the resignation of Congress legislator Umesh Jadhav who represented the Chincholi assembly segment in Kalaburagi district in the northern region of the state.

"The Speaker has found Jadhav's resignation letter dated March 4 in order and accepted it," an official of the state legislature told IANS here.

Jadhav joined the BJP on March 6 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at Kalaburagi for official functions and addressed a party rally.

The BJP has fielded Jadhav as its candidate from the Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) reserved constituency against two-time sitting Congress member Mallikarjun Kharge for the Lok Sabha polls on April 23. Vote count is on May 23.

Jadav was one of the four rebel MLAs against whom the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah sought legal action for defying the party whip to attend the CLP meetings on January 18 and February 8, and participate in the 10-day budget session of the assembly from February 6-15.- IANS