Process of transfer of power within Cong has begun: BJP

Discontent is brewing in the ruling Congress in Karnataka against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's style of functioning, the state BJP claimed today.

Several Congress leaders had expressed concern on the issue and attempts for "transfer of power" had begun, Opposition leader in the Legislative Council D V Sadananda Gowda told reporters here, raising doubts about the Chief Minister's continuance.

"Recently several senior Congress leaders, including Rajashekharan (former union minister), Ramesh Kumar (former Assembly Speaker) and Motamma (former CWC member) have expressed their concern over the style of functioning of Siddaramaiah," Gowda, a former chief minister said.

Rajasekharan, special invitee to the Congress Working Committee and MLC, had shot off a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi asking her to set up a coordination committee under the chairmanship of a senior party leader to "provide orientation and guidance" to the Siddaramaiah government to follow "the party style and culture of governance".

Rajashekharan has dwelt at length on the steps seeking Sonia's intervention to make Siddaramaiah "work in unison" with the organisation. Gowda also alleged the government was indulging in doublespeak.

"The Chief Minister says he has information of terrorists sneaking into the city to carry out terror attacks and the home minister K J George negates the reports. There is confusion in the government and it is indulging in doublespeak," he said.

He also accused the Siddaramaiah government of indulging in political vendetta by reversing decisions taken by the previous BJP government.

Political insecurity and growing popularity of BJP, especially after Narendra Modi's elevation as the party's Election Campaign Committee Chief, had prompted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to walk out of the NDA, Former Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananada Gowda claimed today.

"Nitish lost Parliament elections in Bihar conceding defeat to Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD. But as far as Modi is concerned, he won all the six seats - four MLA and two Lok Sabha seats - that belonged to Congress. Hence this insecure feeling forced him to come out of NDA alliance," the BJP leader told reporters here.

JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav's objection to Modi's elevation was not fair because he had earlier stated that it was an internal matter of BJP, he said. He also said Advani's suggestion to take everybody along was not wrong, but the right decision has been taken at the right time to elevate Modi.

"There were tremendous expectations from party leaders that something new will come out in BJP National Convention (held in Goa). If there hasn't been any declaration, there would have been a big issue across the party and all over the country," he said.

It was the correct decision at the appropriate time because even the Congress yesterday took organisational steps and BJP expects that Lok Sabha elections are not far away, Gowda said. Asked about post-poll alliance with KJP because of B S Yeddyurappa's proximity to Modi, he said anything could happen in politics.

"Anybody who is not favourable to the party also may join us anytime," he said.