Bengaluru: Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council D.H. Shankaramurthy administered oath to 11 newly elected members of the  Upper House here yesterday. All the new MLCs were unanimously elected in the recent elections according to the party strength.

Those who took oath today were C.M. Ibrahim, Arvind Kumar Arali, K. Govinda  Raj, K. Harish Kumar (All Congress), Tejaswini Gowda, K.P. Nanjundi, Raghunatha Rao Malkapure, N. Ravikumar, S. Rudre Gowda (all BJP), S.L. Dharmegowda and B.M. Farooq are from JD(S).

Puttaswamy resigns

Meanwhile, former Karnataka Minister and senior BJP leader B.J. Puttaswamy yesterday tendered his resignation to State BJP Backward Class Morcha President post.

Puttaswamy was disappointed as he was not re-nominated to the Legislative Council after expiry of his term on June 19 and the party opted for somebody else. He was the Minister for Cooperation during BJP regime from 2008 to 2013.

In his resignation letter to party State President B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is also Opposition leader in the  Legislative Assembly, Puttaswamy claimed that he had discharged his duties honestly and stepping down without any black mark in his 40 years of political carrier.

A copy of his resignation letter was circulated among the media. “I have performed up to my best ability and have worked for the welfare and development of people belonging to Backward Class. I have maintained the political leadership and values of Democracy,” he added.