Karnataka crisis: Congress steps up efforts to persuade MLA to withdraw resignation from assembly

BENGALURU: The Congress Sunday intensified efforts to persuade another rebel MLA Ramalinga Reddy to withdraw his resignation from the Karnataka assembly, in a desperate bid to save the Congress-JD(S) government that is teetering in the wake of resignation of its legislators.

Congress state working president Eshwar Khandre and senior leader H K Patil had a meeting with BTM Layout MLA Ramalinga Reddy at his residence for about two hours.

The meeting with Reddy came on a day rebel Congress MLA M T B Nagaraj headed to Mumbai after talks on Saturday to mollify him appeared to have failed. However, a state Congress leader expressed confidence that he has gone to bring back another disgruntled lawmaker.


Leaders of the Congress-JD(S) coalition held negotiations with Hoskote MLA Nagaraj on Saturday to woo him back to save the 13-month old H D Kumaraswamy-led government that is on the brink of collapse.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Reddy, Khandre exuded confidence that the BTM Layout legislator would withdraw his resignation.

"Ramalinga Reddy is a senior MLA who won the assembly elections multiple times and became minister. His contribution to the party is very significant and we need him.

"We have requested him to stay back in the party and also to withdraw his resignation," Khandre told reporters.