We have a role in Karnataka: Cong

New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) Outrightly rejecting comparisons between the Centre and Karnataka, the Congress today said the two situations are as different as ''chalk and cheese'' and that the party would play its ''role'' in the southern state after the opportunistic alliance between the JD(S) and the Congress comes to an end.

Responding to queries from reporters, party spokesman Abishek Singhvi, however, refused to clarify whether the Congress was in favour of elections or imposition of President's Rule in Karnataka.

President's Rule was not a remedy for all ills, while going for elections was not in the hands of the Congress, he said.

The party had a clear stand on Karnataka, but it was not yet time for disclosing it, Mr Singhvi said.

All that the Congress wanted now was that the BJP, instead of holding a ''mock fight'' with the JD(S), should withdraw its support to the H D Kumaraswamy government.

Further, the Karnataka government must be restrained from taking important decisions as it had lost its majority and the right to continue in office.

It was despicable that the state Cabinet today took decisions on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) even as there was no Industry Minister and the attendance at the meeting was thin.

Responding to attempts at drawing a parallel between the situations in Karnataka and the Centre, he said there has been no change in the strength of the UPA, but this was not the case in the southern state.

He was asked why the Congress was expecting the outside support of the Left to continue despite the differences over the Indo-US nuclear deal, but wanted the BJP to break away from the ruling coalition in Karnataka.

The two issues were ''as radically different as chalk is from cheese,'' he said. While the Left has been extending outside support to the UPA from the beginning, the BJP and the JD(S) had joined hands to share power, he explained.

Replying to a question, he said the Congress would play its role in Karnataka when the demand arose.

UNI