Disqualification: Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumatalli take battle to Supreme Court

Bengaluru: On a day when new Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa won the confidence motion in the Karnataka assembly, two of the three rebel MLAs who were disqualified on Thursday last (Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumatalli) moved the Supreme Court challenging their disqualification from the assembly membership.

The Speaker had in total disqualified 17 dissidents- three last Thursday and 14 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the first batch of disqualified MLAs- M.T.B. Nagaraj, Munirathna and S.T. Somashekhar- who were in Mumbai for over two weeks, returned to the city Monday morning.

Mr Nagaraj while talking to reporters at the airport, said that he was considering the option of retiring from politics.

“On seeing the state of current day politics, I am fed up. I am seriously considering retiring from politics,” he said.

Replying to a question he asserted that he did not resign under any pressure on threat from the Income Tax department or Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Mr Somashekhar too said he was fed up with politics and was seriously thinking of retiring. He, however said he would consult his voters and then take a call.

He also came down heavily on Speaker Ramesh Kumar saying that the disqualified legislators had anticipated his move.

Launched a scathing attack on former minister Krishna Byregowda, Mr Somashekhar said he had abused them while participating in the debate in the assembly.

“We never betrayed him in the Parliament elections (Krishna Byregowda was the Congress candidate for Bengaluru North). He contested going by the advice of Janata Dal (Secular) supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda. We were not responsible for his defeat. He was not honest as he claimed to be. He spoke badly about us. We will come out with details to expose all those who spoke against us,” Mr Somashekhar said.