The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BJP should drop Bommai or face implications: JD(U)

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Sunday, Mar 02, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BJP should drop Bommai or face implications: JD(U)

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The episode of the Janata Dal (U) MLC Basavaraj Bommai embracing the Bharatiya Janata Party fold has taken a curious turn with the JD(U) central unit cautioning its NDA partner, the BJP, with serious implications if it did not remove Mr. Bommai from the party.

JD(U) National General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Shambhu Srivatsava also directed the party State unit to file a petition before the Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman B.K. Chandrashekhar seeking Mr. Bommai’s disqualification for joining another party without quitting the council membership which he had won as a member of the JD(U).

Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, Dr. Shambhu argued that the BJP had breached the coalition dharma by poaching a leader from its own ally. He said the party had already taken up the issue with the BJP central leaders including L.K. Advani.

He claimed that Mr. Advani had admitted that the BJP State unit had erred by including Mr. Bommai from the JD(U).

Dr. Shambhu remarked that there would be serious “implications” if the BJP at the Centre did not heed the demand for dropping Mr. Bommai. He declined to elaborate on what he meant by “implications”.

Assembly seats

Dr. Shambhu said the Karnataka unit of the party would contest a minimum of 50 Assembly seats of the total 224 seats in Karnataka.

The contest would be either direct or through an alliance.

He said that the BJP should extend its national-level alliance with the JD(U) to Karnataka also. He maintained that it would be good for the BJP to join hands with the JD(U) in Karnataka if it wanted to defeat the Congress.

He also announced that the party State unit would soon organise conventions of party workers at the four divisions of the State.

Delayed polls better

JD(U) State President B. Somashekhar said it was his personal view that it would have been better if the elections to the Karnataka Assembly were held in November.

He said such a delayed poll would give an opportunity for the voters, candidates and the political parties to understand their newly drawn-up constituencies as most of the constituencies will change after the implementation of the delimitation commission’s recommendations.

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