Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120353550400.htm

Karnataka

Sonia refuses to accept Jalappa’s resignation

Special Correspondent

R.L. Jalappa

CHICKBALLAPUR: Senior Congress leader and Chickballapur MP R.L. Jalappa, who went to New Delhi to resign his Lok Sabha membership, is in a fix as Congress President Sonia Gandhi has personally advised him to continue as a parliamentarian till the completion of his term. Mr. Jalappa met Ms. Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday and conveyed his decision to resign as MP in view of the political developments in Karnataka.

Request

During his 40-minute meeting, Ms. Gandhi requested him not to take such a decision and reiterated that the party high command had full faith in his integrity and loyalty to the party despite his son joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, sources close to Mr. Jalappa told The Hindu over phone from New Delhi on Tuesday.

Too much criticism

According to the sources, Ms. Gandhi reportedly told Mr. Jalappa that his resignation would further embarrass the Congress, which was under severe criticism on various issues across the country.

Defection issue

It is said that the Congress President told Mr. Jalappa that she was aware that there was no truth in the allegations that he had encouraged the defection of his son and former Doddaballapur MLA J. Narasimha Swamy from the Congress to the BJP.

The 84-year-old Mr. Jalappa, who had recently announced that he would resign as MP before the byelections to the State Assembly, is now in a dilemma after Ms. Gandhi’s advice. He is still “undecided” on his resignation, sources said.

As the Parliament session is to commence on December 8, Mr. Jalappa will stay put in New Delhi. He is unlikely to return to Bangalore until the Assembly byelections are over, sources said.