PTI - Friday, 8-00 pm

Bangalore, Jan 27: The Karnataka assembly adjourned sine die before chief minister N Dharam Singh could seek a vote of confidence.

Singh, however, ruled out his resignation. "When I have not taken the vote of confidence, why should I resign," the chief minister said.

Speaker Krishna adjourned the house abruptly amidst pandemonium, as Congress members continued to be in the well of the House to protest against the recognition of rebel leader H D Kumaraswamy as the JDSLP leader.

Krishna said he would report the matter to governor T N Chaturvedi.

Krishna repeatedly pleaded with the chief minister to move the motion of confidence.

Dharam Singh maintained that the house was not in order and requested the Speaker to clarify the points raised by his party members against the recognition of Kumaraswamy as the JDSLP lea

Gowda resigns as JD (S) national president

PTI

Bangalore: After failing to persuade his son and JD (S) rebel leader H D Kumaraswamy against teaming up with the BJP, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda today resigned as the national president, pleading "inability" to maintain the party's unity in his home state, Karnataka.

As his rebel son remained dead set on his group voting against the motion of confidence to be moved by Chief Minister N Dharam Singh in the state

Assembly, and joining hands with the BJP, Gowda announced his decision to step down, saying "it is an irony of fate" that as national president he has "to plead inability to maintain unity in the state.

"In the circumstances, it is not befitting and fair on my part to continue as national president," said Gowda in his letter to JDS vice-president Bapu Kaldate, which he read out to reporters after his hopes of dissuading his son against his moves were dashed.

Describing the ongoing political developments as "most unfortunate", Gowda said in his more than four decades of political life, he had never drifted away from the ideology and philosophy of "my political belief”.

 “I am aghast and pained by these developments. I am a believer in Karma theory. This must be the result of the Karma of my previous birth," said

Gowda who made efforts till the eleventh hour to win back the rebel MLAs and his son, in vain.

Gowda requested Kaldate to convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee on February 3 in New Delhi to make way for the election of a new president.