The Hindu : Janata Party opposes early elections

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 30, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Janata Party opposes early elections

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, JAN. 29. The State unit of the Janata Party has opposed early elections to the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly, and asked the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress to give the reasons why they are seeking early polls.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi, here on Thursday, the Janata Party said that voters had given a clear mandate both at the Centre and the State for five-years terms. In view of this, "it is undemocratic to go for early elections. We are not facing any constitutional crisis. If there is any, the BJP and the Congress should explain it to the people of the country and State," it said.

Later, addressing presspersons, Ayanur Manjunath, Working President of the Janata Party unit and former MP, said: "We have never hesitated to go to polls. Like other political parties, the Janata Party too owes its existence to the people's will expressed through elections." But in view of the drought, the party had urged the Governor to recommend to the Centre and the State Government to hold Lok Sabha and Assembly polls only when they were due, he added.

Referring to the drought in the State for three successive years, Mr. Manjunath said that about 400 farmers had committed suicide. The Government had not yet paid the compensation promised by it to the bereaved families. Crop insurance running into several crores of rupees had not been paid, according to him.

He said the implementation of drought relief measures would be affected as the government machinery would be engaged in conducting polls. "In case there is a hung Assembly after the polls, it would only delay the formation of a government, causing even more misery to the drought-hit people," he added.

Mr. Manjunath said that another reason why elections should not be held in March or April was that most school and university examinations were to be held then. The BJP's stand on elections showed that it had distanced itself from the common people, he added.

The Janata Party was ready to face the challenge of early elections. But the party leaders were more concerned with immediate relief measures for the drought-affected people and the interest of students. If the BJP and the Congress wanted early polls, they should think of holding elections only after May, Mr. Manjunath said.

Protests on Monday

He said the Janata Party would stage protests in front of the deputy commissioners' offices in all districts on February 2, opposing the Union Government's recommendation to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, to dissolve the Lok Sabha on February 6, he said.

To a question on the Janata Party's plan to forge electoral alliances in the State, he said a final decision would be taken after an executive meeting of the party in New Delhi on February 3. The party had enough strength and mass support to contest 150 Assembly seats, he claimed.

`Kumar should quit'

Mr. Manjunath demanded the resignation of the President of the BJP State unit, H.N. Ananth Kumar, from the party post in view of the charges of his alleged involvement in the "HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation) scam".

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka