Nothing undemocratic in BJP staking claim in Karnataka: Shah

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday said that being the single-largest party in Karnataka Assembly, it was his party's responsibility to stake claim to form the government and there was nothing "undemocratic or unethical" in it.

He said if the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) had not locked their MLAs in five star hotels and allowed them to interact with people, the JD-S would have supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"The BJP emerged as the single-largest party in Karnataka. The mandate was in favour of the BJP. The Congress and the JD-S formed an alliance against the people's mandate. This is what I call an unholy alliance," Shah said while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here.

He said the BJP's vote share saw a major increase despite Congress crossing all limits of political decency by aligning with anti-national organisations.

"The mandate was clearly anti-Congress. Wherever JD-S won, our organisation was week. The Chief Minister lost his seat and many of his ministers were defeated. This proves that the mandate was anti-Congress," he said.

The BJP chief said that being the single-largest party, it was the right of BJP to stake claim. "So, should we have opted for election again? Had we not staked claim to form the government, it would have been against the mandate. There was nothing unethical or undemocratic in it."

Responding to charges of attempts of horse-trading by the BJP, Shah hit back, saying it was Congress which sold its stable to form government in the state.

"Humpe horse trading ka aarop lagaya hai, lekin Congress ne poora ka poora astabal (stable) bech khaya hai, (We are being alleged only of horse-trading, while the Congress had sold out its entire stable)," he said.

"The Congress undemocratically locked its MLAs in a five star hotel. If they had not locked their MLAs in five star hotels for enjoying swimming pools, then people would had told them whom to vote. If they had known the wishes of people, the BJP might have won the trust vote," he claimed.

Shah also hit out at Congress leaders for celebrating government formation in Karnataka. "What is the Congress celebrating? More than half of their ministers lost. The Chief Minister was defeated from one seat. And, why is JD-S celebrating? For getting 37 seats?"

Responding to opposition charges that the Congress was not allowed to form governments in Manipur and Goa despite emerging as the single-largest party, he said: "In Goa and Manipur, despite being the single-largest party, the Congress did not stake claim. They were resting and sleeping. Thus the Governor invited us. We formed governments and also proved majority."

--IANS

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