Rajnath says BJP has nothing to do with Karnataka crisis, takes dig at Rahul

While asserting that the BJP is committed to parliamentary democracy, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said in the Lok Sabha that his party has nothing to do with the political crisis plaguing the Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka.

Singh also took a dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi over the matter and said that the slew of resignations comes in continuation of his decision to step down as party chief.

Singh, who is Deputy Leader of the House, was responding to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who accused the BJP of engineering defections to destabilise the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition.

Singh said the BJP does not believe in politics of horse-trading.

"Whatever is happening in Karnataka, our party has nothing to do with it. Our party is fully committed to the dignity of parliamentary democracy," he said.

He referred to Rahul Gandhi's resignation as party chief after taking moral responsibility for the party's debacle in Lok Sabha elections and to his remarks that numerous people would have to made accountable for the loss.

Singh suggested that senior leaders of the Congress are resigning from their posts as a result of Gandhi's decision and statement.

"The process of resignations continues. BJP has nothing to do with it," he said.

Twenty-one ministers of the Congress in Karnataka have resigned voluntarily from the cabinet, while an Independent MLA, who was inducted as minister last month, withdrew support from the government.

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