BSP expels MLA who stayed away from Karnataka trust vote

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, July 23

Bahujan Samaj Party’s lone legislator in Karnataka kept away from Tuesday’s trust vote, prompting the party’s national President Mayawati to expel him from the party.

Mayawati said in a tweet after the vote that the MLA, N Mahesh, defied the party’s explicit instructions to support the Congress-Janata Dal Secular state government.

“In violation of instructions of the party high command to vote in support of the Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka, BSP legislator AN Mahesh was absent in today's trust vote, which the party took very seriously. He is therefore expelled from the party with immediate effect,” she said in a tweet.

The JDS-Congress coalition led by Chief Minister Kumarswamy lost the trust vote 99-105. The trust votes brings to an end days of political uncertainty that began with the resignations of 15 rebel MLAs.