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BJP, Congress trade charges

— Photo: PTI

Parade for power: Legislators of the BJP and the JD(S), who met Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur, coming out of the Raj Bhavan in Bangalore on Monday after submitting a letter in support of B.S. Yediyurappa as the joint leader of the legislature party.

NEW DELHI: The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party here on Monday accused each other of “horse-trading” in Karnataka in a bid to form a government after the resignation of the former Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, and imposition of President’s rule.

While the Congress spokesperson, Abhishek Singhvi, called upon the Centre and the Governor to to immediately dissolve the Assembly, which is in suspended animation, to prevent “horse-trading,” BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu demanded “immediate steps” toward government formation under the leadership of BJP legislature party leader B.S. Yediyurappa.

Mr. Naidu pointed out that 72 hours had elapsed since letters from State presidents and leaders of legislature parties of the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) were given to the Governor. The two parties together had a clear majority and “till now there is no other claim before the Governor.” He also pointed out that just five or six days earlier the Governor had himself said that it would be preferable to install a popular government than to dissolve the Assembly.

Mr. Naidu claimed that the JD(S) national president Deve Gowda’s earlier letter reportedly sent to President Pratibha Patil and Governor Rameshwar Thakur demanding fresh elections and expressing fears of “horse-trading” stood virtually withdrawn as he had sent a “fresh letter to the Governor” endorsing his party’s tie-up with the BJP. (However, Mr. Gowda told The Hindu in Bangalore that he had not sent any fresh letter).

When Mr. Naidu was asked whether Mr. Gowda was trustworthy, he responded: “This is not a question to be answered at a press conference.”

The Congress continues to rely on Mr. Gowda’s earlier letter. Mr. Singhvi said Mr. Gowda himself had admitted to attempts at horse-trading. Why the BJP and the JD(S) were shy of facing the electorate now?

The BJP’s argument is that in the 2004 Assembly election the people rejected the Congress; the BJP emerged as the single largest party; the Congress then “manipulated” to come to power with the help of the JD (S); and when that arrangement broke down, a JD(S) government supported by the BJP came into place, which had the “people’s mandate.”

He said the Congress attempt to project M.P. Prakash as the next Chief Minister was an effort to assuage the feelings of the Lingayat community.

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