Cong Accuses Yeddy of Trying to 'Bribe' 53 MLAs with Rs 50 Cr
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Oct 18: Even as the B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP regime won a temporary reprieve from the Karnataka High Court when it effectively ordered the disqualification of the 16 MLAs, including 11 from the ruling party and 5 Independents, to continue until the final decision by different judges, the opposition Congress has accused the BJP leaders of trying to bribe 53 of its 73 MLAs to the tune of Rs 50 crore.
Congress opposition leader in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah alleged that the Yeddyurappa regime was moving heaven and earth to win over the party MLAs by resorting to another ''Operation Kamala" for engineering defections and thereby improve its slender majority in the House.
''The party will launch a state-wide agitation to expose the alleged horse trading," he said charging that 53 of its 73 MLAs have been offered money and even offered ministerial berths by BJP leaders when its 11 BJP rebel and five independent MLAs withdrew support to the Yeddyurappa government.
The ruling BJP was indulging in horse-trading to keep its government in power and claimed that Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has no legal and moral right to continue in office, he said.
Addressing the media after a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party, he said none of Congress MLAs were ready to defect from the party.
“We are all united. Some MLAs whom the BJP leaders contacted over phone have recorded the conversation. We will soon make them public," Siddaramaiah said.
He said the meeting condemned the Chief Minister and state BJP President K S Eswarappa for their statements aimed at converting the minority status of the government to a majority.
Eshwarappa had recently said that his “party’s doors are open for (opposition) MLAs," Siddaramaiah recalled.
Rahim Khan (Bidar MLA) and Suresh Gowda (Nagamanagala MLA) claimed that they have also been contacted by BJP leaders when it fell short of majority.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Working President D K Shivakumar said party would reveal the proof on horse trading to media and also submit details to Governor H R Bhardwaj.
A delegation would be taken to Delhi to seek legal action against defections being encouraged by the BJP. “Legally and morally, Yeddyurappa has no right to continue in office for even a moment," he said.
The CLP, which held its meeting ahead of the High Court taking up for hearing petitions regarding disqualification of 11 rebel BJP MLAs, has decided to meet again on Tuesday to discuss the political situation in the state.
M C Ashwath, the JD-S MLA, who abstained from voting on October 14, had resigned his Assembly membership.
The BJP has already sought disqualification of Manappa Vajjal, Lingsugur MLA, who also abstained from the voting on last Thursday.
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