Karnataka BJP MLC Quits Party Citing ‘Personal Reasons’, Joins Congress In Poll Year

New Delhi: Sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Puttanna on Thursday resigned as MLC and also from the primary membership of the saffron party citing “personal reasons”, as reported by the news agency ANI. He joined the Congress party in the presence of AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, LoP Siddaramaiah & Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar.

In his letter to the Speaker of the legislative council, Puttanna said, “I am a member of Vidhan Parishad from the teachers’ field and am resigning from the membership of Vidhan Parishad due to my personal reasons. They have requested to accept my resignation.” Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala attacked the BJP following the resignation of Puttanna.

Surjewala took to Twitter and said, “Suffocated & stifled by the #40PercentSarkara & its anti-youth, anti-teacher policies, Sh Puttanna, BJP MLC today resigned as MLC & from BJP Membership. He has 4 years tenure as MLC remaining. We at @INCKarnataka commend his bold and courageous move. BJP’s reverse count is on.”