Basavaraj Bommai
Kota Srinivas Poojary
E. Tukaram
With the notification of successful candidates in the Lok Sabha elections issued on Thursday, four newly elected members to the Lower House of Parliament have less than two weeks to resign from their membership of the State legislature.
What rules say
As per the provision of the Prohibition of Simultaneous Membership Rules, 1950, which has been framed in exercise of powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 101 and clause (2) of Article 190 of the Indian Constitution, the member has to resign his legislature seat within 14 days. Otherwise, the person being a member of both the legislature and Parliament, will lose his membership of the Lok Sabha.
Former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy is an MLA for Channapatna and he got elected to the Lok Sabha from Mandya.
Another former Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai, MLA for Shiggaon, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Haveri.
Congress MLA for Sandur E. Tukaram got elected to the Lok Sabha from Ballari (ST) constituency and the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Kota Srinivas Poojary, emerged victorious from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency.
JD (S) sources said that Mr. Kumaraswamy, who is likely to be inducted into the Union Cabinet that is being sworn in on Sunday, is expected to return to Bengaluru after the swearing in and complete the formalities.
Who will lead the Oppn?
Meanwhile, with the exit of Mr. Kumaraswamy as the Janata Dal (S) Legislature Party leader, speculation is rife over who will lead the party’s charge on the floor of the House. Four-time legislator and JD (S) core committee chairman G.T. Deve Gowda is likely to be named JD(S)LP leader.
“H.D. Revanna, brother of former Chief Minister and senior-most member in the party, is unlikely to be named owing to the legal problems he is facing and the sexual abuse case in which his son Prajwal Revanna is allegedly involved,” party sources maintained.
Along with Mr. Deve Gowda, four-time legislator from Chikkanayakanahalli Suresh Babu, three-time legislator from Turuvakere M.T. Krishnappa and two-time legislator from Shivamogga Rural Sharada Puryanaik are the seniors in the party that currently has 19 legislators.
Formidable combination
“The combination of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar looks formidable and the line-up of Congress Ministers is also good. In contrast, the Opposition ranks have become weak with two experienced former Chief Ministers set to resign from the Assembly,” said a source.
Sources said that though Mr. Deve Gowda could provide voice to the Opposition, Mr. Bommai, who had handled Finance and Water Resources Ministries, could be missed.
As it is, a number of senior and experienced BJP Ministers had lost the Assembly elections in 2023, and this will further make the task of the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok tough, according to sources.
Published - June 08, 2024 08:44 pm IST
