Karnataka Government in crisis: BJP announces to pull support

Oct 06: The Karnataka government is in huge crisis as BJP has announced to pull out the support from Kumarswami’s government after failure of compromising meeting held yesterday between BJP president Rajnath Singh and JD(S) supreme HD Deve Gowda. Senior party leader and party in-charge of Karnataka Yashwant Sinha has today announced in a press briefing to withdraw the party support from the Karnataka coalition government.

Senior BJP leader and former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha today informed the media in a press conference in New Delhi regarding the decision of the BJP Parliamentary Board about pulling out the support from the coalition government on behalf of the refusal by the JD (S) supremo for not transferring the power to BJP that was earlier decide in the power-sharing agreement held before 20 months ago.

“Not transferring the power of ruling, JD (S) has paved the way for mid-term polls”, said Yashwant. The JD(S) decision is an insult to the 2004 mandate which was in favour of the BJP and we want fresh elections in Karnataka, he added.

Earlier, BJP leader and Ex-party president Venkaiah Naidu had criticised JD (S) coating the “biggest betrayal of the party history”. ''This is the worst ever political betrayal by a political party,'' said Naidu. ''Karnataka will never forgive JD(S) for the betrayal,'' he added.

Karnataka BJP legislature party leader B S Yeduriyappa and party state president Sadananda Gowda were also present at the meeting. BJP has decided to meet the governor of the state as soon as possible regarding the current situation of the state and ask for the fresh election to the governor.

“We have learnt a lesson and will have to be careful in future," Sinha said, summing up the party's experience with the JD(S). "It is always a learning process," he added.

On asking the question over morality, Sinha said, “To ditch someone is the immoral thing while getting betrayal has no relation with morality. Everyone can be get disloyalty and we have to learn this lesson.”

The BJP, which is willing to make B S Yeduriyappa as the next Chief Minister of Karnataka after power transition has not announced yet the next candidate for the post in the event of mid-term elections in the state.

"Yeduriyaapa was our chief ministerial candidate. If elections were to take place, the Parliamentary Board will take a decision in this regard at the appropriate time," said Sinha.

BJP has instructed to Yediyurappa to meet the state governor on Oct 08 to hand over the letter of withdrawal of support and introduce about the current situation of the state to the governor, said Sinha.

Before this top central leader of BJP L K Advani, Rajnath Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Sushma Swaraj met JD (S) president HD Deve Gowda and present Chief Minister Kumarswami to get a possible solution, but all the efforts of top leaders had been failed. JD (S) is still firmed on its decision for not transferring the power to BJP.

As it is known that 20 months before, there was an agreement held between JD (S) and BJP for making a coalition government in which JD (S) would rule first for 20 months and later the ruling power would transfer to BJP on October 03, 2007. So the tussle has been going on since last fortnight over power shifting that is going towards the trench.

In 2004 election, BJP emerged as the biggest party by winning 79 seats out of 225 while JD (S) won 58 seats and secured the third position. Congress was on the second position by winning 65 seats while other parties had won remaining 23 seats. There were total 113 seats required for majority in the state legislature.

According to sources, JD (S) has called the legislative meeting on Oct 18 to prove the power, while BJP has called a statewide protest on this day.

It is also assuming that JD (S) meanwhile trying to shake hand with Congress party to sustain its government, but there is no such confirmed report from the congress campaign showing the interest with Kumarswami so far.