By IANS,
Bangalore: Janata Dal-Secular legislator Sanganna Karadi Thursday quit the Karnataka assembly and his party, indicating he would join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The resignation of Karadi, elected from Koppal, about 380 km from Bangalore, brings down the JD-S strength in the assembly to 26. Speaker K.G. Bopaiah’s office said Karadi’s resignation had been accepted.
Karadi told reporters that he would discuss the issue of joining the BJP with his supporters.
Karadi’s move raised speculation that BJP may again be wooing Congress and JD-S legislators to strengthen its position in the assembly where it has a slender majority of nine seats.
With Karadi’s resignation, the effective strength of the assembly has come down to 205 with the BJP having 106 (including speaker), Congress 71, JD-S 26 one independent and one nominated member.
The total strength of the assembly is 225, including the nominated member. However the strength has been reduced to 205 following the disqualification of 16 legislators – 11 of BJP and five independents – and resignation of four members including Karadi’s Thursday.
The BJP launched ‘Operation Lotus’ as it did not win a clear majority in the 2008 assembly.