BJP demands immediate assembly elections in Karnataka

New Delhi, Feb 26 (UNI) The BJP Parliamentary Party today decried the ''conspiracy'' of the Congress to delay elections in Karnataka and said the party condemned efforts to hold elections in November by extending President's rule beyond May 2008.

The issue figured in the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting presided over by Leader of the Opposition L K Advani with party MPs alleging that the Congress was piling pressure on the Election Commission to ensure that the elections were not held before May.

The elections should be held on time without extending President's rule, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra told newspersons after the meeting.

Karnataka was brought under President's rule in November last year and elections are to be held before May 28 as the Constitution provides that between the two sittings of the Assembly a gap of over six months should not be there. If this has to be extended beyond six months, then it would require approval of Parliament.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Advani said the political atmosphere was conducive in the country for the BJP to come back to power after the next Lok Sabha polls.

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