Congress walks out of Lok Sabha over Karnataka, Goa

Amidst the ongoing Karnataka crisis, Congress members walked out of the Lok Sabha on Thursday. A request of the grand old party to raise the Karnataka political turmoil during the Zero Hour was denied by speaker Om Birla. As a reply, the members walked out. This is the third time the party walked out from the Lower house.

New Delhi: Congress members on Thursday walked out of the Lok Sabha over the political situation in Karnataka and Goa where many of its MLAs have either quit the House or joined the BJP.

The House was plunged into uproar when a Congress request to raise the issue during Zero Hour was not allowed by Speaker Om Birla.

The agitated Congress MPs then trooped out of the House. This was the party's third walkout in as many days.

The Congress on Thursday raised the Goa issue where 10 of the 15 MLAs have defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reducing the Congress strength to just five members.

The Congress has accused the BJP of destabilizing the coalition government of Congress and JD-S in Karnataka where as many as 17 MLAs of the two parties have quit the Assembly.