BJP hits back at Congress, denies using Governor's officer

Hitting back at Congress on the ongoing political turmoil, Karnataka BJP on Monday said the party does not use the Governor's office for its benefit.

"When Congress was ruling at the Centre, they were using the Governor's office for their party. BJP has no culture of using Governor's office," Ashok said after meeting BJP leader and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa at his residence," BJP leader R Ashok told reporters when asked about the Congress charge that the BJP is using Governor's office politically.

Echoing similar sentiments, another BJP leader Renukacharya said, "The party (Congress), which tore the resignation of some of the MLAs, is now questioning the prerogative of the Governor. They are in delusion, they are still not able to understand that they can't salvage the situation."

He also said that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka was dead in the state and if Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has any respect for the Constitution then they should resign with immediate effect.

"Government is dead in our state. If you (CM HD Kumaraswamy) have any respect for the constitution, you should resign immediately. There is some game that Revanna is playing. Neither that game nor your clinging to the post is going to work," he added.

The 13-month-old coalition government slumped into a crisis following the resignation of their 11 MLAs from the membership of the state Assembly on June 6.

JD(S) MLA H Vishwanath had on Saturday claimed that 14 MLAs have jointly tendered their resignations to Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and requested him to accept them.

With the dramatic turn of events, Kumaraswamy had to cut short his US visit and return to Bengaluru on Sunday, as the state government appears to have fallen into a minority.

The strength of the ruling coalition in Karnataka has come down to 105, which is eight short of the half-way mark of 113.

Apart from Congress strongman Ramalinga Reddy, Anand Singh, Ramesh Jarkiholi, BC Patil, H Vishwanath, Narayan Gowda, S Hebbar, Mahesh Kumatalli, Gopalayya, and Pratap Gowda Patil have tendered resignations. However, the Speaker is yet to accept the resignations.

As many as 10 of the rebel MLAs are lodged in Mumbai's Sofitel hotel.