Kumaraswamy brings up 'MLA poaching' issue at anti-BJP rally

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy claimed that the BJP advocates "horse-trading" in Karnataka while holding talks of weeding out corruption in India, thus highlighting the party's "double standards"

"BJP is offering huge cash to the MLAs of JD (S) and Congress to resign and join them. Legislatures are being treated as commodity and democracy is being mocked at," Kumaraswamy said at the anti-BJP rally here on Saturday. "On one hand in the national executive meeting the BJP talks of weeding out corruption while on the other hand encourages horse-trading in Karnataka. This shows the double standards of BJP," he added.

The chief minister's comment comes in the backdrop of alleged political turmoil in Karnataka where the opposition is alleging that BJP is trying to poach Congress MLAs in a bid to destabilize the JD (S)-Congress coalition regime.

At the rally, which is being attended by a number of key Opposition leaders, Kumaraswamy said all leaders are steeping towards building a formidable alliance to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

"I call all on all the non-BJP leaders to join hands and come together to fight BJP and get rid of anti-constitutional and non-responsive administration," he said.