The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Congress for mid-term Assembly elections

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Wednesday, Mar 07, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Congress for mid-term Assembly elections

Special Correspondent

Administrative machinery on the verge of collapse: Kharge

M. Mallikarjun Kharge

BANGALORE: The Congress on Tuesday demanded mid-term elections to the Legislative Assembly alleging that the administrative machinery was on the verge of collapse because of lack of coordination between the ruling coalition partners.

Addressing a press conference here, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president M. Mallikarjun Kharge said the statements of leaders of the Janata Dal (S)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition, including the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, were creating confusion about the future of the Government.

Such was the level of confusion and lack of coordination that development projects were being ignored and even Central funds were not being utilised completely, he charged. "It is better to opt for fresh polls instead of continuing in this manner," Mr. Kharge remarked.

He referred to the recent confusion over reports that Mr. Deve Gowda had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The reports emanated after Mr. Deve Gowda addressed a meeting of State MPs in Delhi. He wondered why the former Prime Minister took more than 10 days to deny that he had met Ms. Gandhi. He also wondered why none of the BJP leaders who attended the meeting with MPs had denied the reports that Mr. Deve Gowda had met Ms. Gandhi.

"Our sources in 10 Jan Path say that Mr. Deve Gowda did not meet Ms. Gandhi," he claimed. He took exception to the coalition leaders blaming the Congress for the confusion.

He ruled out the possibility of the Congress joining hands again with the JD(S) to form a government in the state. "We prefer facing the polls than joining hands with the JD(S)," he declared.

Mr. Kharge also wanted to know why the Government, which had earlier announced that it would ban the sale of arrack and lotteries, was now saying that it was still examining the issue. He demanded a high-level inquiry into the episode to find out the reasons for the change in stance.

Mr. Kharge evaded a direct reply to queries on whether the Congress MP M.H. Ambareesh had sent his resignation from the Ministry and the Lok Sabha in the proper format. "You have to ask him," he said. When repeatedly asked about his resignation, Mr. Kharge said the party had not accepted it.

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