Siddaramaiah, leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Karnataka, went on the offensive on Tuesday, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of orchestrating the current political crisis in the state.
The accusations came as Roshan Baig, a senior Congress leader and MLA, who was suspended by the party in June, resigned as a legislator. The resignation of Baig, which had been expected, takes the total number of ruling coalition MLAs who have submitted their resignations to 14 since July 1. There have been reports Baig was warming to the BJP after he declared, during the Lok Sabha polls, Muslims should consider backing the saffron party.
Siddaramaiah alleged Modi and Shah were behind the mass resignations when he was speaking to reporters after a key CLP meet in Bengaluru. He alleged the BJP's actions were against parliamentary democracy and the mandate of the people. “They (BJP) are offering money, position and ministries. Earlier too, they had offered money... Who has given the money to them? Is it not illegal money? With money and political power, they are trying to destabilise a legitimate government,” Siddaramaiah declared.
He claimed some of the Congress MLAs had “fallen” into a trap and were perhaps unaware of the anti-defection law, which allows for disqualification of MLAs who leave a party while in office.
Siddaramaiah declared the CLP would petition the speaker to initiate disqualification proceedings against the 10 Congress MLAs who resigned last week. “It is anti-party activity as they have colluded with the BJP. These people are trapped. Even now, I request them to come back and withdraw their resignation. The party has resolved to seek their disqualification. The resignations made by the MLAs are not voluntary and genuine,” Siddaramaiah argued.
Siddaramaiah declared the Congress would demand punishment for the MLAs under provisions of the anti-defection law, which bars a person from contesting polls for six years.
also read
- Karnataka accident: What happened to Harsh Bardhan IPS?
- Karnataka: BJP issues show-cause notice to ‘defiant’ Vijayapura MLA Yatnal
- Siddaramaiah meets PM Modi: Water projects, subsidised farm loans and infra boost in Karnataka CM's wishlist
- Karnataka: CM to replace governor as chancellor of RDPR university
Siddaramaiah stated all Congress MLAs had “pledged that they will stand with the party”.The Congress staged a dharna at the Gandhi Statue in Bengaluru against the “unconstitutional and undemocratic act of the BJP”, before submitting a petition to the speaker.
The Congress had a total of 80 MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly. Party leader said 10 MLAs who missed the CLP meeting on Tuesday would face action. Seven Congress MLAs skipped the meeting after obtaining permission. Interestingly, Ramalinga Reddy, a senior Congress leader who resigned last week, was only marked as absent.
