New Delhi, Feb. 14: There was bad news from Karnataka and good news from Maharashtra for the Congress.

Its Karnataka MP and Union minister, M.H. Ambareesh, resigned from the government and Parliament to protest against the Cauvery tribunal’s verdict.

In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena MP Subodh Mohite quit the party and his Lok Sabha seat and has reportedly sent feelers to the Congress. The Congress is heartened by the development, especially after the Sena got a leg-up in the Maharashtra civic polls and is seen as being on a comeback trail.

Actor-turned-politician Ambareesh had told his constituents that if Karnataka got a raw deal from the tribunal, he would quit and return to “fight” for the people.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee did not accept Ambareesh’s quit letter as it was “not in an acceptable form”.

The Sena MP’s resignation was accepted.

Mohite told reporters he had been “repeatedly humiliated” by Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and was not allowed to meet party chief Bal Thackeray. He has reportedly sought an appointment with Congress general secretary Margaret Alva, who is in charge of Maharashtra.