Karnataka Congress calls for fresh elections

Bangalore, Mar 6: Karnataka Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge today firmly denied joining hands again with Janata Dal (Secular) to form a government and charged that the coalition partners JD(S) and Bharatiya Janata Party were creating confusion in the minds of the people as they had lost mutual trust.

Speaking to newsmen here he denied that the party chief Sonia Gandhi had met JD(S) Chief H D Deve Gowda at New Delhi recently and said the Congress had nothing to do with JD(S). Such statements with regard to the meeting amounted to 'misleading' the people and ultimately reflected lack of coordination between the coalition partners. No one was trying to topple the government. If they could not rule, fresh elections to the Assembly be held, he suggested.

He referred to the statement made by State BJP Chief Sadananda Gowda about the meeting and said BJP leaders should have severed ties with JD(S) if it was proved that Mr Deve Gowda had called on Ms Gandhi as Mr Gowda himself had reportedly told a meeting convened in New Delhi to discuss Cauvery issue in presence of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy about the meeting.

He took exception to the remarks made by Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa with regard to ban on arrack sale and Science and Technology Minister Ramachandregowda's statement on banning single digit lottery system. While Mr Yediyurappa had said that the issue was still under consideration, Mr Gowda had said that it was not possible to ban lottery system. However, these two leaders from the beginning had aired their views frankly about banning and now they felt it could not be done, he chided.

UNI