Stand on Council Chairman election vindicated: Cong

Bangalore, Feb 22: Karnataka Governor's directive to State Government on election to the legislative Council chairman's post without further delay has vindicated the Party's stand on the issue, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Mr Mallikarjuna Kharge said today.

Talking to newsmen here along with leader of the opposition in the Assembly N Dharam Singh he strongly defended the action of the Congress members in the Council in stalling the proceedings of the upper house for over 10 days. The Congress also resorted to Dharna on the same issue in the lower house which had also resulted in disruption of proceedings for three days.

Mr Kharge said the Congress had taken this stiff stand to uphold the Democratic principles and restore the sanctity of the Upper house and this had yielded desired results.

While expressing regret over the unsavoury incident witnessed at the Assembly in which some Congress members forced their way to Speaker's podium he blamed the State Government for the incident. It could have prevented had the Government taken initiative to hold the election to the Chairman's post in the Legislative Council.

Mr Kharge took exception to the failure of the state government in communicating the Governor's decision to the Council on holding the election. He accused that the officiating chairman of the Council N Thippanna of abruptly adjourning the house and acused the government of having shown disrespect to the Governor who was an constitutional authority.

Mr Singh demanded the state government to re-convene the house and conduct the election to the post of the Chairman in the Council. The best course before the state government was to conduct the election when Chairman's post fell vacant and Deputy Chairman who had met with an accident and was immobilised.

On the Cauvery issue Mr Singh accused state government of not coming out with its stand on the final verdict of the tribunal. He said that Congress would participate in the All-party meeting convened by the state governemnt to discuss the issue and present its views. He also favoured joint struggle to seek justice on the issue.

UNI