Kumaraswamy alleges horse-trading
BENGALURU — Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Wednesday invited BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa to form the government, capping a day of intense jockeying for power and allegations by the Congress and JD-S of bribery and horse-trading.
“I invite you (Yeddyurappa) to form the government and be sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka,” a communique from the Raj Bhavan said.
Vala also asked Yeddyurappa to seek a vote of confidence within 15 days of assuming office as the chief minister.
Briefing reporters, BJP General Secretary Muralidhar Rao said Yeddyurappa will take oath here on Thursday at 9.30am.
“We received a communique from the Raj Bhavan, inviting Yeddyurappa to form the government and take oath at 9.30 am,” BJP state unit spokesman Vamanacharya also said here. Only Yeddyurappa will take oath at a simple ceremony in the ‘Glass House’ on the lawns of the Raj Bhavan in the city centre amid tight security.
Reacting to the development, the Congress said the governor denigrated his office, trampled the Constitution and acted as a BJP puppet. “Vajubhai Vala denigrated the governor’s office, trampled upon the Constitution, abused the law and acted as a BJP puppet. He chose to serve his masters in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rather then serve the Constitution,” tweeted Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala,” he said.
Earlier, in a press briefing, Congress leader P. Chidambaram said the numbers of the Congress party and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) clearly established that the alliance had a majority in the Karnataka legislature. “The governor, who is an exalted constitutional office, should not walk on a perilious path which is illegal,” Chidambaram said.
He also said that the governor was bound by the Supreme Court judgment to invite the leader of the alliance (H.D. Kumaraswamy) that has been formed and which commands majority in the legislative assembly.
Earlier in the day the JD-S accused the BJP of horse-trading by offering Rs1 billion and Cabinet berths to its MLAs while outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dragged Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the matter, accusing him of “encouraging” horse-trading, a charge rejected by the BJP.
The BJP, the single-largest party with 104 seats that fell eight seats short of the magic number, elected former chief minister Yeddyurappa as its legislative party leader. Its delegation later met the governor to stake claim to form the new government. “We have staked claim to form the government as the single largest party with 104 newly elected legislators,” Yeddyurappa said after meeting the governor.
In a separate development, the JD-S along with Congress leaders later met the governor to press their claim for government formation. The JD-S and the Congress leaders submitted a list of support of 117 MLAs.
State Congress President Parameshwara, after meeting the governor, told reporters that Vala assured them he would act as per the Constitution, Supreme Court judgments and precedents.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of encouraging horse-trading to lure Congress and JD-S legislators.
“Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah are supporting party leaders to poach legislators of our party and the JD-S, so as to prevent us from forming the new government,” Siddaramaiah told the media here.
Asserting that the Congress would not allow the BJP to form a government at any cost, Siddaramaiah said none of the Congress legislators were missing or likely to defect.
Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of offering Rs1 billion and Cabinet posts to its newly elected legislators as a “desperate” attempt.
The JD-S leader also named Modi and Shah for the alleged offers made by the BJP. “This attempt by the BJP to poach our legislators will backfire as there are people who are willing to leave the BJP to support us (JD-S),” he claimed, adding that the JD-S and the Congress together had the required majority to form the government.
The BJP was quick to reject the charges. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said: “Rs1 billion figure is imaginary... it is what the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular do politics with. We are going by the rules. We do not indulge in horsetrading of any kind.”
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at Siddaramaiah for accusing Modi and Shah of encouraging horse-trading, adding that government formation in Karnataka is the prerogative of the Governor.
“I deny all these baseless and unfounded allegations,” the minister said.
Our MLAs were offered Rs1 billion by the BJP to break away. I want to know whether this is black or white money. H D Kumaraswamy, JD-S leader
Rs1 billion figure is imaginary... it is what the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular do politics with. We are going by the rules. Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister
We received a communique from the Raj Bhavan, inviting Yeddyurappa to form the government and take oath at 9.30am. Vamanacharya, BJP leader
Vajubhai Vala denigrated the governor’s office, trampled upon the Constitution, abused the law and acted as a BJP puppet. Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress spokesperson