Grabbing power through unethical means BJP's new policy: Shiv Sena

MUMBAI: Accusing the BJP of adopting unethical means to grab power, its estranged ally Shiv Sena today questioned why the party had different sets of rules while forming governments in Goa, Manipur, and Karnataka.

The Sena claimed that although BJP chief Amit Shah had inadvertently called B S Yeddyurappa "most corrupt", the party faced the "ignominy" of making him the chief minister of Karnataka once again.

The Sena was referring to a gaffe by Shah who had in March described his party's former government led by Yeddyurappa as "number one" in corruption.

"In Karnataka, Yeddyurappa was invited to form the government. There is nothing surprising about it. It has happened not as per the law and the Constitution, but as per political rules," the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"The governor (of Karnataka Vajubhai Vala) is a humble worker of the BJP, who has worked in the Gujarat Cabinet for 14 years. He could become the governor of Karnataka only because of Modi, hence it is right to invite the BJP to form the government there," it said.

Had he invited the Congress-JD(S) combine to form the government, it would have been surprising, it claimed.

"However, nobody -- from the judiciary to governors -- follows the law.

Therefore, the Congress-JD(S)'s proposal bearing signatures of 116 MLAs was rejected and a red carpet was laid for (BJP's) 104 MLAs," the Sena added.

Had this happened during the Congress' regime, it would have been termed as a murder of democracy and the governor would have been dubbed as a puppet in the hands of the government, it alleged.

"But since the governor belongs to the BJP ideology, we have to accept that he has not done anything wrong and taken a decision as per the rules," the Sena claimed.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said that a different sets of laws was applied in Goa, Manipur and Karnataka.

"There was one set of rules in Goa and Manipur, and another one in Karnataka. Rules and laws are made for others, while power is being grabbed and retained through unethical means."

"People voted the BJP to power as they knew that there is no point in expecting the Congress to follow purity of means and morality. But the BJP turned out to be like the Congress," it claimed.

"Even we want the Congress to be wiped out from Karnataka and a BJP rule there. However, after Siddaramaiah, corrupt Yeddyurappa took his place," the Sena alleged.

The editorial said that promises were made to bring back black money from abroad.

"But actually, black money is in operation here only and it is being used for political purposes" it said.

"What is the use of removing the Congress from power if the BJP's 'Mann ki baat' has become 'Dhan ki baat'? The prime minister, the chief minister and the governor are working as per the culture of the Congress and the people's woes have not diminished," the Sena claimed.

Referring to Shah's gaffe, the Sen said, "It was true. What was there in his mind came out. But the BJP faced the ignominy of making him the chief minister once again. This will lead to chaos in Karnataka".