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Why delay in Karnataka, asks BJP

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday criticised the Cabinet for not taking a decision on revoking President’s Rule.

Noting that five days have passed since the BJP and JD(S) had “proven” that they enjoyed a majority before Governor Rameshwar Thakur, he said the Central government had acted swiftly when the Bihar Assembly was dissolved in 2005.

“In [the case of] Bihar, the President’s approval was obtained from Moscow by fax and all the procedures were completed within 12 hours through the night,” Mr. Prasad recalled.

Asked about the draft memorandum of understanding sent by JD(S) president Deve Gowda to BJP president Rajnath Singh, Mr. Prasad said the BJP had concluded an agreement with the JD(S) 21 months ago when the Kumaraswamy government was installed with the BJP’s support. In any case, this was a matter between the BJP and the JD(S) and had nothing to do with the constitution of the new coalition government.

On reports that Mr. Gowda had not yet withdrawn the letter he had written to President Pratibha Patil and the Governor seeking fresh elections, he said constitutional formalities needed for the Governor to start the process of formation of a government had been completed.

State presidents and the legislature party leaders of both parties had conveyed to the Governor their support for the formation of a government.

In addition, the MLAs have been given individual affidavits to the Governor and B.S.Yeddyurappa has been elected the leader of the two legislature parties.

“No other formality is required to be completed for the Governor to begin the process of installing a popular government in Karnataka,” the BJP added.

Special Correspondent writes from Chennai:

The former BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, on Friday urged the Union government to expeditiously clear the ground for formation of a BJP-Janata Dal (S) government in Karnataka.

At a press conference here, Mr. Naidu said the Centre’s “inordinate” delay in acting on the report submitted by Governor Rameshwar Thakur indicated lack of morality.

The BJP leader sought to justify the renewal of ties with the JD(S), saying the decision was motivated by the “evil designs” of the Congress of coming to power through the back door.

He said the BJP was approached by the JD(S), and not vice versa, with an offer to abide by the terms in the bi-party agreement in 2006. All things outside that framework, such as the charter of demands made the other day by H. D. Deve Gowda, were merely “suggestions” that could be examined.

The Congress was raising the bogey of stability of the BJP-JD(S) combine to demand the dissolution of the Karnataka Assembly as it failed to drive a wedge in the JD(S), he alleged.

On Congress leader Veerappa Moily’s statement that the Governor only submitted a statement of facts and was yet to submit his recommendations to the Centre, he wondered how Mr. Moily could be privy to a Governor’s report. Did the Raj Bhavan work according to the diktat of the Congress? he said.

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