2 Congress rebels, Independent disqualified in Karnataka

Karnataka Assembly Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar on Thursday disqualified two rebel Congress legislators and an Independent lawmaker with immediate effect.

The Congress rebels are Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak) and Mahesh Kumatahalli (Athani) constituency in Belagavi district, while the Independent is R. Shankar (Ranebennur).

"The 3 legislators have been disqualified under the Anti-Defection Law (10th Schedule of the Constitution) on the recommendation of their party," Ramesh Kumar told reporters here.

Though Shankar was elected in the May 2018 Assembly elections as a KPJP candidate, the Speaker said he had merged the regional outfit with the Congress in June as he was the only its elected member, the Speaker said.

"Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah informed me in June that Shankar had merged his KPJP with the Congress after he was made minister in the H.D. Kumaraswamy coalition government," said Kumar. IANS