Rebels who brought the Karnataka government down
Ever since the Congress-JD(S) government came to power in 2018, a group of MLAs within the coalition had been keeping the HD Kumaraswamy government on the tenterhooks. From seeking ministerial berth to asking for more funds for development of their constituencies, the MLAs kept pushing the ruling government to the brink, until it fell. The Federal takes a look at the legislators — some resigned and some abstained from the trust vote in the Assembly — who brought the government down.
Shrimant Patil
Congress
Age: 63
Elected from: Kagwad
Assembly Experience: First time MLA
Criminal cases: Charges of cheating and criminal breach of trust
Patil, an MLA from Kagwad in Belgaum, was in talks with rebel MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, from Gokak, before he resigned. Jarkiholi, who had on several occasions threatened to pull down the coalition government, tried to convince Anand Singh and Patil to resign along with him. While Singh followed suit, Patil didn’t. Expecting that Patil would switch sides, the Congress tried to convince him last month and kept him in its fold until July 10. But Patil, who had assured the leaders of his loyalty to Congress, escaped from the resort where Congress MLAs had stayed put. The Congress even filed a police complaint saying BJP abducted him. But the MLA got himself admitted in a hospital in Mumbai and cited health reasons for skipping the trust vote held on July 23.
Assets: Rs.22 crore
Pratapgouda Patil
Congress
Age: 54
Elected from: Maski
Assembly Experience: 3-time MLA
Criminal cases: No criminal cases
Patil, a loyalist of Yeddyurappa, was with the BJP in 2008. He joined the KJP of Yeddyurappa in 2013, only to move to the Congress the same year. Still, his natural inclination has always been towards the BJP. Hailing from the dominant Lingayat community, he was being constantly wooed by the BJP after the 2018 Assembly elections.
Assets: Rs.0.9 crore
Munirathna Naidu
Congress
Age: 55
Elected from: Rajarajeshwarinagar
Assembly Experience: 2-time MLA
Criminal cases: Booked under the prevention of Anti-Corruption Act
A loyalist of Siddaramaiah and an accused in the multi-crore BBMP fake bills scam, Naidu was named as responsible in the death of a student when a Government Veterinary Hospital wall collapsed by the Lokayukta, having been the municipal contractor who had built the structure. He's a prominent film producer in Sandalwood. His movie Kurukshetra, one of the most expensive films in Kannada industry, is set to release in August.
Assets: Rs.43 crore
Mahesh Kumathalli
Congress
Age: 57
Elected from: Athani
Assembly Experience: First time MLA
Criminal cases: Booked for insulting modestly of a woman and for rioting
A loyalist of Ramesh Jarkiholi, Kumathalli has always been executing his orders. His decision to quit preceded Jarkiholi's decision to resign. He was also keen on a cabinet berth. Congress workers from his constituency, who had worked hard for his victory, protested in front of his house and sought his brother's intervention to stop him from switching sides. Despite the Chief Minister Kumaraswamy and Deputy CM G Parameshwara assuring him of a cabinet berth, he switched sides and moved with other rebels to Mumbai. In his farewell speech, Kumaraswamy wondered why the MLA quit despite allocating Rs 157 crore for development works in Athani.
Assets: Rs.9 crore
Narayana Gowda
JD(S)
Age: 57
Elected from: Krishnarajapete
Assembly Experience: 2-time MLA
Criminal cases: No criminal cases
Narayana Gowda was against the alleged interference of Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy in development-related works of his constituency. A Vokkaliga from old-Mysore region, Gowda is the only rebel MLA who put in his papers citing lack of fund allocation for his constituency. In February, he cited health reasons for not attending the budget session in the Assembly.
Assets: Rs.11 crore
H Nagesh
Independent
Age: 60
Elected from: Mulbagal
Assembly Experience: First time MLA
Criminal cases: No criminal cases
Nagesh, a former Congressman, won as an independent after being denied ticket in 2018 polls, and sided with the BJP despite having been made a minister. In January, he indicated his support to the BJP but backtracked after he was made a minister during the cabinet reshuffle in June. He is one of the independent MLAs who moved Supreme Court over the delay in floor test in the state Assembly.
Assets: Rs.11.10 crore
B C Patil
Congress
Age: 63
Elected from: Hirekerur
Assembly Experience: 3-time MLA
Criminal cases: No criminal cases
An actor-turned politician, Patil hit the headlines in 2008 when an audio clip, purportedly of mining baron Janardhana Reddy (on behalf of BJP) trying to lure him, emerged. He had repeatedly indicated that he would stick to the party if he was given a ministerial berth.
Assets: Rs.5 crore
Anand Singh
Congress
Age: 53
Elected from: Vijayanagara (Bellary)
Assembly Experience: 3-time MLA and former tourism minister
Criminal cases: 16 Criminal cases. Was even arrested for involvement in Mining Scam in K'taka while he was a BJP MLA
One of the richest MLAs from the mining belt of Bellary, Anand Singh was arrested by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the mining scam. He is under trial. Singh had jumped ship from the BJP to the Congress ahead of the 2018 elections and was looking forward to being accommodated in the cabinet. He was always in touch with the rebels who switched sides to the BJP and was involved in a brawl with a fellow congressman at a resort in Bengaluru. Singh cited the clearance of controversial JSW land deal by the Congress-JD(S) government as the reason for his resignation.
Assets: Rs.117 crore
H Vishwanath
JD(S)
Age: 69
Elected from: Hunsur
Assembly Experience: 4-time MLA and former MP.
Criminal cases: Nil
An old rival of Siddaramaiah in old Mysore, this Congressman who moved to the JD(S) just before 2018 election, was made the chief of Karnataka JD(S). He quit the post after the LS poll debacle. He wanted to be influential within the coalition but with Deve Gowda's family controlling the JD(S) and Siddaramaiah exercising enormous power within the Congress, he found the arrangement suffocating. Besides, he was also accused of taking money from BJP. JDS minister Sa Ra Mahesh alleged that Vishwanath had an election-related loan of Rs 28 crore and the BJP offered to clear his loans if he switched sides.
Assets: Rs.3 crore
Shivaram Hebbar
Congress
Age: 62
Elected from: Yellapura
Assembly Experience: 2-time MLA
Criminal cases: No criminal cases
During the crisis of 2008, BJP allegedly offered Hebbar ₹15 crore to cross vote in its favour. Upset with the rejection of his request for a ministerial berth, he quit. His son was involved in the illegal mining scam during the BJP's tenure and was arrested and by the CBI in 2013.
Assets: Rs.6 crore
S T Somashekar
Congress
Age: 61
Elected from: Yeshwantur
Assembly Experience: 2-time MLA and Chairman of Bangalore Development Authority
Criminal cases: No criminal case
A Kuruba and Siddaramaiah loyalist, Somashekar was appointed the chairman of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). But he too had complaints against Kumaraswamy for allegedly influencing BDA's decisions. In 2016, BJP leaders had alleged that Somashekar was involved in large-scale embezzlement of funds to the tune of Rs 818.89 crore. The funds, they alleged, were given for development works for his constituency.
Assets: Rs.14 crore
K Gopalaiah
JD(S)
Age: 58
Elected from: Mahalakshmi Layout (Bangalore)
Assembly Experience: 2-time MLA
Criminal cases: No criminal cases
Though he did not side with any leaders in JD(S), Gopaiah was lured by the BJP to turn a rebel. The JD(S) made him the party vice-president during the reshuffle after the Lok Sabha election. In 2017, JD(S) suspended him for cross-voting during 2016 Rajya Sabha elections. He was brought back into the party’s fold after an apology. He began his political career as a municipal corporator and his wife went on to become 50th deputy mayor of Bengaluru.
Assets: Rs.10 crore
Byrathi Basavaraj
Congress
Age: 54
Elected from: K R Puram
Assembly Experience: 2-time MLA
Criminal cases: Charges were framed under Karnataka land grabbing prohibition Act
A loyalist of Siddaramaiah, Basavaraj belongs to the same caste (Kuruba) as the former CM. He was made a member of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in 2016 but has been upset over Kumaraswamy controlling its functioning. Siddaramaiah had ensured his brother too got a ticket in Congress in 2018. Suresh is an MLA from Hebbal. After the SC ordered to re-submit their resignations, he was seen running towards the Karnataka Assembly Speaker's office in Vidhana Soudha. Basavaraj allegedly assaulted a traffic constable for being stuck in a traffic for about 20 minutes in his constituency in 2014. He cited lack of development in his region as the reason for resignation. However, despite being a MLA in the previous term, Basavaraj hasn't done much for his constituency.
Assets: Rs.90 crore
Ramesh Jarkiholi
Congress
Age: 59
Elected from: Gokak (Belgaum)
Assembly Experience: 4-time MLA and former Minister for Municipalities Administration
Criminal cases: No criminal charges
Jarkiholi's family members have been representing Gokak for the past 16 years. He was upset at being dropped from the cabinet last year. Ever since, he has been seen siding with the BJP and threatening to quit and topple the government. Meanwhile, his fight with MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar has continued in his home district. Jarkiholi's resignation can be seen as an attempt to settle scores with Congress strongman DK Shivakumar, who has backed Hebbalkar.
Assets: Rs.122 crore
Roshan Baig
Congress
Age: 65
Elected from: Shivajinagar
Assembly Experience: 7-time MLA. He held prominent portfolios in the past --like Tourism, Industries, Home Ministry and Urban development.
Criminal cases: Nil
Baig was recently suspended by the Congress for anti-party activities after he spoke against state leaders over the LS poll debacle. He is an accused in the multi-crore IMA fraud case and turned a rebel after the party refused to consider him for the Bangalore Central LS seat. Baig was arrested by the special investigation team probing the IMA scam, just before he was to go to Mumbai to join the rebels. While Baig alleged it as a conspiracy by the ruling government, the latter showed proof that Yeddyurappa's PA was about to accompany him in a chartered plane that was to take him to Pune/Mumbai.
Assets: Rs.36 crore
K Sudhakar
Congress
Age: 45
Elected from: Chikkaballapura
Assembly Experience: 2-time MLA
Criminal cases: No criminal cases
Sudhakar enjoyed the support of the former chief minister Siddaramaiah and courted controversy recently by claiming that Siddaramaiah should be made CM again. This upset the JDS leaders, particularly CM Kumaraswamy, who asked the party high-command to act against such MLAs. Sudhakar had also opined that senior Congress leaders holding ministerial berth should give space to youngsters. Congress's effort to bring him back from Mumbai failed despite personal requests from DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.
Assets: Rs.15 crore
MTB Nagaraj
Congress
Age: 67
Elected from: Hosakote
Assembly Experience: 3-time MLA
Criminal cases: Was charged in a case related to Rioting and for assaulting a public servant
A loyalist of Siddaramaiah, MTB Nagaraj is one of the richest MLAs in the country with assets over Rs 1,015 crore. He owns three brick companies, deals in real estate and owns properties across Bangalore. Chikkaballapur MLA Sudhakar and MTB Nagaraj had abstained from the Congress CLP meeting held on July 9. In 2017, after conducting raids, the Income Tax department had filed a case against him for undisclosed income worth Rs 120 crore besides seizing cash worth Rs 1.1 crores and 10kg gold.
Assets: Rs.1,015 crore
R Shankar
Independent
Age: 54
Elected from: Ranebennur
Assembly Experience: First time MLA
Criminal cases: Nil
Soon after becoming a minister, Shankar belonging to one-member Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) merged with Congress in 2018. Siddaramaiah had set a pre-condition to Shankar that he should merge his party with Congress so as to prevent him from jumping ship. But as an independent, he always kept one foot on the other side. He was made the Minister for Environment and Forests in Kumaraswamy's cabinet. But later he resigned from the cabinet.
Assets: Rs.93 crore
B Nagendra
Congress
Age: 48
Elected from: Bellary
Assembly Experience: 3-time MLA
Criminal cases: Cases of cheating, destruction of evidence in mining scam
Nagendra was first elected on a BJP ticket from Kudligi in 2008. For his second term, Nagendra contested as an Independent candidate and joined the Congress in 2018. The same year, a special court in Bengaluru issued a warrant against him in connection with the Belekeri Port illegal iron export scam. Nagendra was among mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy’s associates. While joining Congress, he had gifted gold coated 1.2ft Valmiki Statue to Rahul Gandhi which stoked a controversy. The Congress had served him a show-cause notice when he skipped the legislative party meeting in January. Ever since, the BJP was persuading him to switch sides.
Assets: Rs.16 crore
N Mahesh
BSP
Age: 63
Elected from: Kollegal
Assembly Experience: First time MLA
Criminal cases: Nil
Mahesh is the lone BSP MLA in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, who was the state president of the party, and was made the Primary and Secondary Education Minister in the Kumaraswamy government. While BSP Chief Mayawati had asked Kumaraswamy to drop him from the cabinet following his anti-party comments, he remained in the cabinet for a while. But later, he resigned on personal grounds. He remained absent from the Assembly during the trust vote, following which, Mayawati expelled him from the party.