Another Karnataka legislator withdraws support to government

On a day of swift political developments, Karnataka Municipal Administration R. Shankar of regional outfit KPJP resigned his post and also withdrew support to the beleaguered JD-S-Congress government. He said he would support the BJP.

"Minister for Municipal Administration R. Shankar met Governor Vajubhai Vala after submitting his resignation letter to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy," said a communique from Raj Bhavan here.

Shankar resigned hours after Small-Scale Industries Minister H. Nagesh, an Independent legislator, resigned and withdrew support to the 13-month-old coalition government.

"He (Shankar) onwards extends the support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)," the communique added.

Shankar, the legislator from Ranebennurt, floated the Karnataka Pragnyavanthara Janatha Paksha (KPJP) and contested the May 2018 assembly elections after leaving the Congress for being denied the party ticket.

Kumaraswamy had inducted Shankar and Nagesh into the cabinet on June 14 to ensure their support to his shaky government facing revolt from a dozen Congress rebel legislators since December.

Both had withdrawn support to the coalition government on January 15, after Shankar was dropped from the ministry on December 22 in a minor cabinet reshuffle-cum-expansion to ensure the government's stability. IANS