Karnataka crisis: Rebel Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy skips meeting with Speaker

Bengaluru: Rebel Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy has skipped his meeting with Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh, who had called him to check whether he had resigned voluntarily.

Reddy, who was among the dissident Congress MLAs, was called by the Speaker on Monday evening to check whether his resignation was on his own volition and voluntary so that the presiding officer could take a decision on the resignation.

"I went to see doctor, it got delayed. Speakers' office will call me, I will go today or tomorrow, whenever they call me," he told ANI on his skipping the meeting.

Reddy may be called by the Speaker today, sources said.

Reddy, who along with nine Congress-JD(S) MLAs resigned on July 6, said that he tendered his resignation due to party's internal matters.

"My reasons (of resignation) were purely internal and party, not on high command and not on Congress party, not on the chief minister," he said.

However, the Speaker had rejected eight MLAs resignation including that of Reddy, saying their resignation was not in order.

When asked whether he is planning to attend the floor test, Reddy said, "My resignation is not accepted till now, so I will attend the test."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an impleading petition by five Karnataka rebel MLAs in the case relating to early decision by Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar.

The 13-month old Congress-JDS government slumped into crisis following the resignation of 11 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly on Saturday.