Rebel Karnataka Congress MLA MTB Nagaraj, who had earlier suggested he might bring another disgruntled legislator back from Mumbai, joined the rebels there on Sunday and declared that he would not take back his resignation. Fellow rebel ST Somashekar told a press conference in Mumbai that the group was united.

Rebels stand firm

“We won’t take back resignations. There’s no division among the rebel MLAs,” Somashekar said. He added that the group was not in contact with any other political party and was not responding to any party that tried to reach out to them.

He said K Sudhakar, another MLA who has resigned, was in Delhi and supported the group, and could join them in Mumbai at any time.

Nagaraj, who sat in on the press conference, ruled out any change of heart. “There is no question of taking back my resignation,” he said.

Background

Local news channels had earlier shown Nagaraj boarding a chartered flight. On Saturday, leaders of the Congress-JD(S) coalition had held talks with him in an effort to bring him back and rescue the 13-month-old government led by H D Kumaraswamy, which was on the verge of collapse.

What happened next

The Kumaraswamy government fell in July 2019, and B. S. Yeddyurappa of the BJP returned as Chief Minister.

See also: Indian National Congress, Janata Dal (Secular).

Originally published on 15 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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