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In a high voltage drama at the Assembly Speaker's office, 13 ruling Bharatiya Janata Party members of Legislative Assembly, loyal to former party strongman B S Yeddyurappa, on Wednesday made a vain bid to submit their resignation from assembly membership insisting that the government had been reduced to a minority.
The legislators led by Public Works Minister C M Udasi and Power Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who resigned earlier in the day on Wednesday, reached Speaker K G Bopaiah's office in Vidhan Soudha, the state secretariat, with their handwritten resignation letters.
However, neither Bopaiah, who was not in station, nor the Assembly Legislature Secretary Omprakash were present when the MLAs arrived. After waiting for about an hour, the agitated MLAs insisted that some official of assembly secretariat either receive their resignation letters or give an acknowledgement that they are not empowered to receive them.
Udasi insisted on an acknowledgement, but Joint Secretary Jayatheertha Galali said, "As joint secretary I can't accept it. Please come and submit resignations when Speaker comes to office."
The MLAs were later joined by B S Yeddyurappa who spent a considerable amount of time with them in the Vidhan Soudha. However they realised that the speaker was not present and hence could not tender their resignations.
The MLAs met Governor H R Bhardwaj and requested him to take suitable steps for acceptance of their resignations by Speaker K G Bopaiah. The governor then assured them that suitable action would be taken as per constitutional provisions.