Karnataka Small Scale Industries Minister H Nagesh, who was inducted into the cabinet just weeks ago, has resigned from his post. Nagesh, an independent MLA from Mulbagal, is the fourteenth MLA to withdraw support from the coalition government in Karnataka. Nagesh went to the Raj Bhavan and handed over his letter to Governor Vaju Bhai Vala. Reports suggest that Nagesh will also move to Mumbai, where ten MLAs are holed up at the Sofitel hotel.
This is the second such time that Nagesh has withdrawn support to the coalition. Both the independents had withdrawn support in January after they were removed from the cabinet. At the time, Nagesh had told the media that he was withdrawing support as the JD(S)-Congress government had failed to provide a stable government. However, in an attempt to pacify the two independents, the coalition partners inducted both MLAs into the Kumaraswamy cabinet in June.
Nagesh, who is a first-time MLA, is a close as associate of Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar.
Currently, after 13 resignations the coalition has 106 MLAs, including the Speaker and minus the nominated Anglo-Indian member. With Nagesh taking back his support to the coalition, the number has gone down to 105. And if Nagesh supports the BJP, then the BJP will have 106 members. However, the Speaker has not yet accepted the resignations of the 13 MLAs.
In another update, Congress leader DK Suresh said that all ministers in the cabinet will resign and make way for the rebels.