Yeddyurappa pushes for mid-terms polls in Karnataka again

The BJP’s president of Karnataka unit BS Yeddyurappa once again called for the dissolution of the Congress-JD(S) government and fresh polls in the state as his pointed to his party’s “historic win” in the Lok Sabha election.

The Bharatiya Janata Party won 25 out of the 28 seats in Karnataka in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha election as it bettered its tally from 17 in the last polls. The Congress had got nine and JD(S) two in the triangular contest in the 2014 general election. This year the allies won one seat each.

“We have won 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka. It is a historic win. It is better if the government is dissolved and mid-term polls are held. No BJP MLA is in touch with Congress or JD(S),” former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa was quoted as saying by ANI.

The BJP had predicted the collapse of the ruling coalition and an increase in its tally in the assembly after the Lok Sabha election results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs were unhappy with the government and may take any decision anytime.

BS Yeddyurappa’s comments come after former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that the JD(S)-Congress government was a ‘strong’ one and ridiculed state BJP president for repeatedly claiming that the coalition will collapse.

In a series of tweets, he also said the people’s mandate was for continuation of the BJP-led government at the Centre and not for ‘toppling’ the state government.

“@BSYBJP (Yeddyurappa) claims to form the govt inspite of not having the number. This is not a new drama but this is continuously misleading the public. Mr. @narendramodi bowed to the Constitution but in which article has the constitution given the right for @BJP4India to destabilise our govt (sic),” the Congress Legislature Party leader asked.

He asserted that all Congress MLAs, including dissident leader Ramesh Jarkiholi, were with the party and nobody was leaving. Jarkiholi had met senior BJP leader SM Krishna on Sunday in the presence of Yeddyurappa.

Dismissing Yeddyurappa’s claim that the state government would collapse on June 1, Siddaramaiah dared him to resign from his post if his prediction did not come true.

Siddaramiah said the outcome of the Lok Sabha election was for continuation of the NDA government at the Centre and not for the dissolution of the government in the state and make Yeddyurappa chief minister again.

“It’s nonsense to say the assembly should be dissolved because the Lok Sabha election results were against us,” Siddaramaiah said.

Yeddyurappa had Sunday told PTI that it was impossible for the BJP to form a government with the JD(S) in the event of the present coalition government collapsing and favoured fresh assembly elections.

“We are ready for fresh assembly elections. There is no option left for our party,” Yeddyurappa had said, citing the failure of the previous coalition arrangement between the JD(S) and the BJP in 2007.

First Published: May 28, 2019 13:19 IST