Maha opposition leaders hail ‘victory of democracy’ in K’taka

Mumbai : After the resignation of BS Yeddyurappa as chief minister without facing the floor test, main opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) along with Shiv Sena, ally of ruling BJP in the state and at the Centre stated it was a victory of democracy. NCP expressed concern about role of Governor and said he must tender his resignation.

Just two days after taking oath as chief minister, Karnataka BJP leader Yeddyurappa resigned ahead of crucial vote of confidence on the floor of the house. With departure of Yeddyurappa, opposition party leaders expressed comments on social media including on tweeter.

Sharad Pawar, chief of NCP said, “It was BJP’s mistake to allow Yeddyurappa to form the government when they were not in full majority. Governor Vajubhai Vala also committed mistake as he called BJP to form the government.”

Pawar further said, “It was duty of Governor to keep stature of his post. However, in Karnataka, Governor has maligned the dignity of his post and disturbed pillars of democracy. Hence, I personally feels he will tender his resignation from the post of Governor.”

Pawar praised legislators of Congress and Janta Dal (Secular) for not accepting to be part of horse trading.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena spokesperson termed it as defeat of the ‘distorted’ ideology of BJP which thinks they can win elections by hook or crook and can form the government. “It was anti-democracy which was happened in Karnataka. It is the beginning of end of ‘dictatorship’ and ‘indiscriminate’ in power,” said Raut.

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Leader of opposition in assembly and Ashok Chavan, president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee too said it was victory of democracy. “The Congress will claim to form the government in Karnataka,” said Chavan and further added, there are some legal issues which will be discussed at supreme level in the party about forming the government.

“This is historic day and that democracy has finally won,” said Chavan. “The BJP was indulging in horse-trading and buying of legislators. This could stop due to the Supreme Court’s decision,” he said. Chavan demanded Yeddyurappa should apologise to the country for walking out of the Assembly after announcing his resignation while the National anthem was going on.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam Nirupam had on Saturday  organised a protest against the May 17 decision of Vala to invite the BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa to form the government in neighbouring Karnataka.

Among those who attended the protest was state Congress president Ashok Chavan. “There are three states, Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya, where the Congress emerged as the single largest party after Assembly polls there. In these states, the Congress wasn’t invited to form the government. But the BJP and RSS-biased Governor invited the post-poll alliance of BJP to form a government,” he said.