Dissolve Karnataka Assembly: Venkaiah

Hyderabad, Nov 21:Senior BJP Leader M Venkaiah Naidu today demanded dissolution of the Karnataka Assembly and holding of fresh Assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the Congress, which had been rejected by the people in the last Assembly elections, should not be given any opportunity to return to power through the 'backdoor' once again.

Daring the Congress, which had demanded dissolution of the Assembly till yesterday, to face mid-term polls in Karnataka, he asserted that his party would ''fight tooth and nail''any attempt by the Congress to form an alternative Government.

On JD(S) leader M V Prakash suggesting that the Congress could take the initiative to form an alternative government in Karnataka as there was still time for approval of Presidential proclamation, Mr Naidu opined, ''any hotch-potch understanding between the two parties will be unethical, undemocratic and unacceptable to the people.'' Mr Prakash did not have any authority to speak as he was not the JD(S) State President, Mr Naidu said.

UNI