Why is BJP stand on govt formation in Karnataka and MP different, asks Shiv Sena

The Shiv Sena on Monday asked the BJP why its stand on government formation in Karnataka was different from Madhya Pradesh. It also made a pitch for a “national policy” on whether to form governments by poaching opposition legislators.Referring to former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s statement that some Congress legislators were in touch with them (the BJP), but (the party) would not form the government by dislodging anyone, the Sena its editorial mouthpiece Saamana said, “Does the BJP have different stands in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh?”

“There should be a national policy on whether to form governments by poaching legislators,” it said.

Claiming the downfall of the Congress-JDS government in Karnataka was predicted 13 months ago when it was formed, the editorial said: “It is clear that the Kumaraswamy-led government will fall. It is a political crisis in Karnataka. But, not just BJP’s ambition, but the infighting in the Congress is also responsible for it.”

After independent MLAs H Nagesh and R Shankar, who resigned as ministers in the Kumaraswamy government on Monday, the coalition’s number came down to 104 in the 224-member Karnataka assembly. The BJP, with the support of Nagesh and Shankar, now has 107 members.

The editorial said the Karnataka government had majority and could have run the government properly. “But, the question is whether Siddaramaiah wanted the government to run. He wanted to become CM again with the support of Kumaraswamy’s JD(S),” it added.

Referring to Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah’s statement that Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh would have BJP governments soon, the editorial said that Shah should have added Karnataka to it “as things are taking place as planned”.

“The Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are also in crisis. They have a wafer-thin majority. So, there will be a Karnataka-like situation in these states too,” it said.