The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Tuesday approved the proposal from Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao regarding the expulsion of ex-MLAs from the party for "anti-party activities".
Mahesh I Kummatalli, Srimanth B Patil, Ramesh L Jarakiholi, Prathap Gouda Patil, Shivaram Mahabaleshwar Hebbar, BC Patil, R Shankar, Dr K Sudhakar, BA Basavaraj, ST Somashekhar, Munirathana, R Roshan Baig and MTB Nagaraj were disqualified by Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar under the anti-defection law.
The disqualifications benefitted the Karnataka government headed by newly sworn-in Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, as the BJP sailed through the confidence motion that was held through a voice vote in the state Assembly.
Currently, there are 105 BJP members supported by an Independent. Both Congress and JD(S) have 100 members in the 225-member House.
The majority mark stands at 104 after 17 MLAs were disqualified by Ramesh Kumar under the anti-defection law.