The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Congress dares Janata Dal (S) to go in for Assembly elections

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Wednesday, Sep 20, 2006
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Karnataka

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Congress dares Janata Dal (S) to go in for Assembly elections

Special Correspondent

Charges made by Deve Gowda against the Congress are baseless, say party leaders

ISSUING A CHALLENGE: KPCC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge addressing a press conference in Bangalore on Tuesday along with (from left) party leaders Siddaramaiah, N. Dharam Singh, H.K. Patil and Ramesh Kumar. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Congress leaders on Tuesday dared the Janata Dal (Secular) leadership to recommend the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly and seek a fresh mandate from the "people's court." They dubbed the charges made by JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda against the Congress "baseless."

Addressing presspersons at the Congress Bhavan here, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president M. Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly N. Dharam Singh asked Mr. Deve Gowda to direct his son, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, to recommend to Governor T.N. Chaturvedi to dissolve the Assembly. "The JD(S) and the BJP have the majority; let the Chief Minister recommend dissolution. The Congress is ready for elections," Mr. Kharge said.

On Monday, Mr. Deve Gowda said the JD(S) was ready for President's rule in the State if that was the aim of the Congress, which was heading the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre.

`Criticism unfortunate'

Being a former Prime Minister, it was unfortunate that Mr. Deve Gowda had criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) established under the Constitution, Mr. Kharge said. Mr. Deve Gowda had become frustrated and, hence, he chose to hit out at the Congress to divert attention from the corruption charge against Mr. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Kharge alleged.

The Congress reiterated its demand for a CBI inquiry into the charge that Rs. 150 crore had been paid by mine owners in Bellary district to the Chief Minister and Minister for Forests and Environment C. Chennigappa. Mr. Kharge defended the party's demand for a CBI inquiry by stating that the Supreme Court had observed that functioning of a Commission of Inquiry in any State had its own limitations and its report might be delayed. Besides, the terms of reference of the Justice U.L. Bhat Commission of Inquiry, constituted by the State Government to look into the State's mining sector, did not include the bribery charge, Mr. Kharge said.

Reacting to the ten-point `charge sheet' released by Mr. Deve Gowda against the Congress, Mr. Kharge said party leaders need not learn moral lessons from a person such as Mr. Deve Gowda, whom he accused of using "double standards" to finish off his political enemies.

The former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who recently joined the Congress, termed the claim by Mr. Deve Gowda that he had pleaded with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to make him (Mr. Siddaramaiah) Chief Minister "totally false."

In fact, during the discussions with Ms. Gandhi, before the Congress-JD(S) coalition government was formed, Mr. Deve Gowda clearly stated that his party was satisfied with the post of Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Siddaramaiah claimed.

Mr. Dharam Singh said that when he was the Chief Minister Mr. Deve Gowda had not written to him about government policies and programmes. His missives had to do with postings and transfers, he said.

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