Congress ready to face polls anytime: Kharge

Hubli, Mar 11 (UNI) Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Mallikarjuna Kharge today said his party was ready to face elections any time.

Talking to newspersons here he said, ''we are ready. This JD(S)-BJP coalition Government should go. I am sure former Prime Minister and JD(S) President H D Deve Gowda will not allow anybody to become the Chief Minister, except his sons.'' To a question, Mr Kharge said as per his information, Mr Gowda had not formally met Congress President Sonia Gandhi. But they could have met on the corridors of Parliament during the session.

Asked whether as KPCC chief he had the knowledge of former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah calling on Ms Gandhi, he said anybody, including an ordinary worker, could meet her.

Urging for a CBI inquiry into the Rs 150 crore bribery scandal involving Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Mr Kharge said the Chief Minister did not fall under the purview of the Lok Ayukta. He also accused the Government of trying to make the State into another Uttar Pradesh or Bihar.

Terming the coalition Government as a ''non-performing one'', he said the Government, which could not spend 35 per cent of the budgetary amount, was making promises to the tune of thousands of crore. ''This Government announces things first, then thinks,'' he chided.

UNI