Cong repeats demand for dissolution of Karnataka assembly

New Delhi, Nov 5 (UNI) Even as the BJP has directed all the 129 BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs in Karnataka to present themselves before President Pratibha Patil to mount pressure on the Governor to invite them to form a government, the Congress Party today reiterated that assembly be dissolved and elections held.

"The proposal by the BJP to unnaturally cobble together a government on support which is not only inherently unstable, but also fundamentally inimical to the BJP, will destroy and subvert our democratic process," AICC Spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said.

Demanding that this should not be allowed and that the Constitution of India should be upheld, she told mediapersons that "the only moral, ethical and democratic way forward out of this ugly imbroglio, would be to dissolve the assembly, and for all political parties to seek a fresh mandate from the people." Ms Natarajan said the mandate of the people of Karnataka stood completely destroyed by the opportunistic and unprincipled manipulation of MLAs by the BJP.

"Any attempt whatsoever to attempt to form a government on such an immoral and unstable foundation would be unconstitutional and unsustainable. It would make a mockery of the legislative process and the Constitution, " she said.

The southern state of Karnataka had plunged into a political crisis early last month in the light of the refusal of the JD(S) to honour the power-sharing agreement with the BJP at the end of its 20-month tenure with H D Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister.

After no party was in position to form a government for the remaining 20 months, the Centre imposed President's rule in the state, but kept the Assembly under suspended animation.

The JD(S) subsequently agreed to support the BJP-led government in a bid to avoid a split in its legislature party in the wake of attempts by a section of partymen led by former Deputy Chief Minister M P Prakash to strike a deal with the Congress.

The BJP had staged a dharna in Bangalore yesterday asking Governor Rameshwar Thakur to invite it to form government. The dharna was, however, not joined by the JD(S).

What has been keenly awaited is the state Governor's response to the BJP's claim to forming the government.

Today, the central leadership of the BJP directed that all the 129 MLAs belonging to the JD(S) and the BJP be present in Delhi tomorrow to appear jointly before President Patil in Delhi.

BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa had been claiming that he has the support of 129 MLAs in a house of 225, though the backing of 113 MLA was sufficient to form a government.

UNI