BANGALORE, February 13: Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel today sought disqualification of three former ministers, who recently joined the Rashtreeya Navanirmana Vedike, the apolitical front of Ramakrishna Hegde, from membership of the House.In a petition to Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar, Patel sought action under the anti-defection law against R V Deshpande, Ramesh Jigajinagi and Ajaykumar Sarnaik, who had switched over to the Hegde camp but had remained in the Janata Dal.
Jigajinagi and Sarnaik have been fielded as candidates of Lok Shakti, the Hegde's political outfit, in Chikkodi and Bagalkot Lok Sabha Constituencies respectively.
Talking to mediapersons before embarking on an election tour today, Patel who is also Janata Dal Legislative Party leader said he had sent the petition ``with documentary evidence'' to the Speaker for initiating action under the Anti-Defection Act.
Regarding the four MLAs who had joined the Vedike, Patel said, ``It will take some time. We are collecting materialevidence against them''.
Asked to comment on statements made by some BJP and Vedike leaders that the Patel ministry would fall prior to the joint session of the Legislature on March 9, Patel said, ``Governments don't fall in hotels. They fall on the floor of the Assembly. At least they should know the law.'' Earlier on Thursday, Janata Dal spokesman P G R Sindhia had criticised Deshpande's claims that 20 more JD legislators would be quitting soon to join the Lok Shakti. He said it was nothing but a conspiracy to create doubt in the minds of the electorate regarding the Janata Dal.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
