Cong workers protest in Lucknow, as demonstrations held across UP to protest K'taka developments

Congress workers in Uttar Pradesh today held demonstrations across the state to protest the "unconstitutional and undemocratic" manner in which the BJP has formed the government in Karnataka.

Top Congress leaders, including state unit chief Raj Babbar, gathered here, even as demonstrations were carried out at all district headquarters of the party to protest the Karnataka Governor's decision to invite the BJP to form the government in Karnataka despite the saffron party's numbers being less than the combined tally of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) in the state Assembly.

Karnataka Governor Vajhubhai Vala has acted "under pressure" of BJP national president Amit Shah in administering oath to B S Yeddyurappa as the Chief Minister, Congress spokesman K K Pandey alleged.

In Lucknow, party workers and leaders led by Babbar along with Pramod Tiwari and Sanjay Singh held a sit-in protest before Mahatma Gandhi's statue at the GPO park.

Babbar alleged that the Karnataka Raj Bhawan was "misused" to ensure that the BJP somehow comes to power in the state and in a similar fashion its governments were also installed in Goa, Bihar, Meghalaya and Manipur.

It has become a "habit" for the BJP to somehow form its government even without getting majority in the elections, he said.

Later, the Congress leaders met UP Governor Ram Naik and handed over a memorandum in this regard, Pandey said.

Yesterday, Congress workers had burnt an effigy of the BJP and its president in the state capital.