In a new twist to the political developments in Karnataka, Janata Dal (Secular) chief H D Deve Gowda on Saturday suspended Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and 39 other rebel MLAs from the party with immediate effect.

The announcement was made by party spokesman Kunwar Danish Ali at a hurriedly convened press conference in Bangalore.

Ali also announced that the former prime minister had decided to withdraw his resignation as party president "to keep the party intact".

He said that the decision to suspend the MLAs had been taken as they had violated the "accepted principles of the party".

Besides the chief minister, those suspended include D T Jayakumar, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, Balachandra Jarakiholi, N Cheluvaraya Swamy, C Chennigappa, Iqbal Ansari and Alkod Hanumanthappa - all ministers.

In a letter to Ali, the JD(S) chief said that the matter would be placed before the party's  national executive on Monday so that "further steps" could be taken as per the party constitution.