"I have not accepted any resignation. I can't do it overnight like that. I have given them time till July 17. I'll go through the procedure and take a decision," says Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh.
Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government in Karanataka led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was on shaky grounds as of Wednesday. 17 legislators of the Congress-JD(S) combine have submitted their resignation so far.
The state government may have got a temporary relief as Karnataka Assembly Speaker asked all legislators to meet him personally and elaborate on their resignations.
Later, the Speaker declined to accept the resignations of the 13 Congress-JD-S rebel legislators, as eight were not in the prescribed format and 5 needed explanations to ensure they were in accordance with the law.
The Congress is all out to save its southern foothold as it rushed its senior Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad to Bengaluru to calm the nerves.
Highlights:
06:17 pm: Siddaramaiah meets Congress MLA Dr K Sudhakar, who tendered his resignation as MLA today. They met at Minister KG George's office in Vidhana Soudha
06:06 pm: DK Shivakumar is forcibly being sent back to Bengaluru
06:00 pm: A ruckus breaks out at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru
05:10 pm: Two more Karnataka Congress MLAs -- MTB Nagaraj, D Sudhakar -- resign
05:00 pm: Kumaraswamy tweets:
"Manhandling Ministers and MLAs is very annoying and unbecoming of #MumbaiPolice. Such hasty Act by Maharashtra Government reinforces the suspicion on #BJP of #HorseTrading. This is a blackmark on the republic setup of our country.
@CMOMaharashtra @narendramodi
@Dev_Fadnavis"
04:45 pm: Haven't accepted any resignation, says Speaker KR Ramesh
"I have not accepted any resignation. I can't do it overnight like that. I have given them time till July 17. I'll go through the procedure and take a decision," says Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh.
04:00 pm: Senior Congress leaders at Kalina University rest house
03:40 pm: A BJP delegation, including BS Yeddyurappa, arrives at the chamber of the Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru
03:10 pm: Siddaramaiah tweets:
"Respected Governor Mr. Vajubhai Vala,
You belong to the whole state & all the parties, yet we are not allowed to meet you. I urge you to give appointment immediately to brief about ongoing sabotage of democracy by @BJP4India.
Is police acting on their own or on your direction?"
"@BJP4India claims to have no role in kidnapping our MLAs but Shri. @DKShivakumar is not allowed inside the hotel by Mumbai police who is acting on the behest of @Dev_Fadnavis.
Prima facie evi show that our MLAs are held in hostage & their lives are under threat from @BJP4India."
02:47 pm: Congress leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, detained while protesting near Raj Bhawan in Bengaluru
02:35 pm: DK Shivakumar detained by Mumbai Police
Mumbai Police detained Congress' DK Shivakumar as he chose to sit outside the Renaissance hotel after failing to enter the building. Section 144 is in effect in the area.
02:06 pm: JD(S) chief and former PM H D Deve Gowda meets Ghulam Nabi Azad in Bengaluru
Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former PM HD Devegowda met Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in Bengaluru. The veteran leader hugged Azad publicly. Former CM Siddaramaih was present as well. Are things in favour of Congress-JD(U)?
01:40 pm - Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa other BJP leaders to meet Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, today.
12:38 pm: We will meet Karnataka Assembly Speaker at 3 PM: BS Yeddyurappa
As the battle for Karnataka heats up, BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has asked current CM Kumaraswamy to resign from his post. Yeddyurappa, the current leader of opposition in Karnataka Assembly, said that he will meet the speaker of the assembly at 3 pm today.
He claimed that Congress-JD(S) combine does not have adequate numbers in Karnataka Assembly.
11:50 am - Section 144 imposed in Powai Police station limits with effect from July 9 to July 12
Section 144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) was imposed in Powai Police station limits with effect from July 9 to July 12 (both dates inclusive) because of "likelihood of breach of peace & disturbance of public tranquility"
11:30 am - Former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders hold protest outside Vidhana Soudha
10:41 am - New twist: Rebel MLAs move Supreme Court against Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar
Rebel MLAs have moved Supreme Court against Karnataka Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar. The MLAs, who have already submitted their resignations to the speaker have accused him of 'deliberately delaying' acceptance of their resignations.
10:24 am - Renaissance hotel cancels Shivakumar's reservation 'due to emergency reasons'
Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai cancelled Congress' D K Shivkumar's reservation. This may have robbed him of a pretext to enter the hotel.
The hotel has cited 'emergency' to cancel Shivakumar's reservation.
"Nothing is permanent in politics. There're no friends and no enemies. Anyone can turn at any moment. I am trying to contact them (rebel MLAs). I will get a call. Their heart is beating to meet their friend," said DK Shivakumar outside Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel.
9:32 am - There is a 'threat' to our lives: Rebel MLAs
Rebel MLAs from Karnataka wrote to Mumbai Police Commissioner late on Tuesday saying that there was 'threat' to their lives. The MLAs were in Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai. Click here to read what exactly happened during the night.
9:04 am- Mumbai Police escorts D K Shivakumar away from Renaissance Hotel
A high-voltage drama is unfolding at Mumbai's Renaissance Hotel where 10 rebel Karnataka MLAs are holed up. Shivakumar, along with a JD(S) leader attempted to enter the hotel sometime ago but he was not allowed inside the hotel.
8:37 am- Police stops Congress' D K Shivakumar from Renaissance hotel
8:17 am- A stand-off is likely at Mumbai's Renaissance hotel as rebel MLAs have refused to meet DK Shivakumar. He has maintained that he is meeting his 'friends'. Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have said that Shivakumar will not be allowed inside the hotel.
7:56 am - Congress-JD(S) leaders reach Mumbai
Congress' DK Shivakumar and JD(S) leader Shivalinge Gowda have reached Mumbai to meet rebel MLAs staying in Powai's Rennaisance Hotel.
7:51 am - Rebel MLAs are holed up in Rennaisance hotel in Mumbai. Maharashtra Government has deployed police force along with riot control squads outside the hotel to prevent untoward incident.
7:48 am - Congress' D K Shivaumar and Janata Dal's Shivalinge Gowda left for Mumbai early on Wednesday to meet rebel MLAs who are holed up in a five-star hotel. D K Shivajkumar is an influential Congress leader in Karnataka, he was instrumental in party's efforts to stitch together a coalition with the JD(S) post Karanataka Assembly elections.
Watch | Police stops Congress' D K Shivakumar from entering Renaissance hotel in Mumbai
