Times of India
Bangalore, Nov 4: After winning over JD(S) through its ‘save Karnataka from betrayers’ rally, the BJP kickstarted ‘save democracy’ dharna here on Saturday. It’s directed against governor Rameshwar Thakur and the Congress. Though the party announced it would be an indefinite protest at Mahatma Gandhi statue, leaders made it clear that the protest would be held only for three days in the first phase.
Accusing Thakur of being a puppet in the hands of the Congress, national BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu threatened to hold a countrywide protest if the formerfailed to invite CM-to-be B S Yeddyurappa to form a government. “The Congress has gone down in the history for pulling down popular governments in the country and not allowing the BJP-JD(S) to form the government is the prime agenda of the Congress,’’ Naidu fumed.
Declining to comment on former CM H D Kumaraswamy’s statement that the JD(S) had never assured the BJP of unconditional support, state BJP president D V Sadananda Gowda told reporters that the government would be formed according to the agreement reached 21 months ago between the two parties.
Though Yeddyurappa was present in the dharna, he continued to observe ‘mouna vratha’ until the governor invites him to form the government. Senior leaders of the party — - Ananth Kumar, Jagadish Shettar, Katta Subramanya Naidu, K S Eshwarappa, R Ashok, D H Shanakaramurthy and scores of legislators participated in the dharna.
Delhi Chalo:
The BJP-JD(S) decided to take their legislators to New Delhi and parade them before President Prathiba Patil. Though the Delhi Chalo plan was on their agenda for long time, the coalition partners had to defer the idea as Prathiba was away in Kerala and Tamil Nadu for the last few days. “Our party will take the legislators and parade before the President on Monday. We are waiting for the signal from the JD(S),’’ BJP general secretary and MLC Shashil Namoshi maintained. In a display of strength, the coalition partners, last week paraded 129 legislators before the governor.