Bypoll postponement strengthens our case: Congress

The Karnataka Congress on Thursday welcomed the postponement of the crucial bypolls to 15 Assembly segments, saying this strengthened its legal fight against the disqualified ‘rebel’ legislators.

“I welcome this development,” Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao said in a tweet.

“The Supreme Court is going to look at the real intention of the anti-defection law and the orders of (former) Speaker Ramesh Kumar. If disqualified MLAs can contest by-polls, what’s the use of the law?” he said, referring to the anti-defection law under which the Congress managed to get the rebel MLAs disqualified. “Our case has only got strengthened.”

The Congress, which is desperate for vengeance against the rebels, had the first-mover advantage as the party had almost finalized candidates for the by-polls. The party even held its state election committee meeting earlier in the day. Last week, the party formally launched its by-polls campaign from Hoskote.