Expelled BSP MLA N Mahesh says he abstained from voting due to 'communication gap'
Bengaluru, Jul 24: Expelled BSP MLA N Mahesh said Wednesday his expulsion from the party for abstaining from voting in favour of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was an outcome of a "communication gap" between him and the party leadership because he does not know anything about Twitter.
Soon after the H D Kumaraswamy government lost the majority in the floor test in the assembly on Tuesday, BSP supremo Mayawati expelled him from the party.
"Our party MLA N Mahesh has violated the high command's direction to vote in favour of Kumaraswamy by abstaining from voting, which is indiscipline.
The party has taken a very serious view of it and expelled him from the party with immediate effect," Mayawati had tweeted Tuesday.
She also condemned the way Kumaraswamy government was brought down saying that it will go down in the history of democracy as a "black mark" where the BJP used its money and power to pull down the government.
Defending himself, Mahesh said, "Our party's Karnataka in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Ashok Siddharth had told me to remain neutral after talking to Behen Mayawati," Mahesh said at a press conference here.
Since he did not know anything about Twitter, he was unaware that Mayawati had directed him through her Tweet to support the Kumaraswamy government.
"I don't know anything about Twitter or anything like that. Hence, I came to know (about expulsion) when I was on my way to Bengaluru.
My expulsion was due the communication gap.I feel that in the coming days, it will be rectified," he said.
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Cong prepared for upcoming Bagalkote, Davangere South Assembly bypolls: Siddaramaiah
Bagalkote (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday asserted that the Congress is ready for the upcoming by-election to the Bagalkote and Davangere South Assembly constituencies.
Bypolls for the Bagalkote and Davanagere South assembly constituencies are necessitated following the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
"The preparations for the bypolls are completed. We are ready for the byelection," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question about the bypolls.
Stating that the Congress high command will decide the candidates for the bypolls, the CM said, "In Bagalkote, late H Y Meti's family members are also strong aspirants. It is not wrong to have aspirations; we (state leaders) will consider all aspects and recommend a candidate. The high command will make the final decision."
The bypoll date may be announced within a week, he added.
The state Congress had recently constituted steering committees for both segments to select candidates and formulate necessary electoral strategies for the victory of party candidates.
In Bagalkote, Congress's Meti defeated BJP's Veeranna Charantimath by a margin of 5,878 votes in the 2023 Assembly polls. In Davangere South, Congress's Shivashankarappa defeated BJP's B G Ajay Kumar by a margin of 27,888 votes.
On the LPG supply constraints, especially commercial cylinders, caused by the West Asia conflict, the chief minister said it is the central government's responsibility to ensure supplies.
"Who should supply gas cylinders? It is the central government. If they supply, the state will ensure distribution. Our Food and Civil Supplies Minister (K H Muniyapopa) has held two meetings (with oil companies). I wrote a letter to the concerned central minister to ensure there is no shortage. It is the responsibility of the Government of India," he added.
To a question regarding the implementation of internal reservation in recruitment to government jobs, Siddaramaiah said he has called a special cabinet meeting to discuss it on March 27 and a final decision will be made there.
There are reports about alleged rifts between SC (Right) and SC (Left) factions within the ruling Congress regarding internal reservation during the recruitment announced for 56,432 vacant jobs.
The state government had recently decided to conduct recruitment based on the reservation order in force before December 28, 2022 (15 per cent for SCs and 3 per cent for STs), due to the stay on the enhanced quota and internal reservation, while continuing to pursue its case in court.
