Karnataka: No option but to accept SC verdict, JDS to fight by-polls on its own, says HD Deve Gowda

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Deve Gowda on Wednesday said that his party had no option other than accepting the Supreme Court verdict which allowed the disqualified MLAs from the Congress and his party to contest the upcoming by-polls.

"The end result is that these disqualified MLAs are allowed to contest elections. This way, the Speaker's orders are ultimately nullified. Rest all are just observations made by the SC. The only option we have is to accept this decision," Deve Gowda told ANI here.

Deve Gowda, also a former Prime Minister, added that JD(S) will neither approach the BJP nor the Congress for the by-polls and will contest it on its own.

"I am not going with the BJP and the Congress. I will remain where I am. I am going to fight the battle on my own. Nobody has approached me and I have no interest in approaching anyone either. Our candidates who are committed to the party will contest the by-polls," he said.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of then Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to disqualify 17 rebel Congress-JDS MLAs under the Anti-Defection Law but allowed them to contest the upcoming by-elections in the state.

The decision of the Supreme Court has upset the JDS. Party leader and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy alleged that "some political leaders are misusing our constitutional institutions for their personal gains."

The 14-month old Congress-JDS coalition government, led by Kumaraswamy fell in July this year following a series of resignations from MLAs paving way for the BJP which was the single largest party to form the government in Karnataka.