Karnataka Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy resigns; may join BJP

Bengaluru: Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, who was denied a ticket by the party for the May 10 Assembly polls, resigned as member from the Karnataka Assembly on Sunday.

The MLA, who represented Pulakeshi Nagar Assembly constituency, went to Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district and submitted his resignation to Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri today.

Later, speaking to reporters, Murthy said that he has resigned from the Assembly and not Congress. He said that he would hold discussion with his supporters to decide his future course of action.

Murthy who bore the brunt of DJ Halli and KG Halli violence in August 2020 where his house was completely torched, said even after the incident, people were living with him like brothers and sisters. However, those who were jailed in connection with the violence and released later were behind denying him a ticket, he charged.

Speculations were rife that he may join BJP.