Advani's call to Kannadigas to punish 'betrayers'

Bangalore, May 2(UNI) Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani today exhorted the people of Karnataka to punish those parties and their leaders, who denied his party an opportunity to form a government in Karnataka last year.

Launching the party's campaign for the first phase of Assembly election to be held on May ten, in Anekal on the outskirts of the city, Mr Advani lambasted the JD(S), which headed the government for 20 months with the support of the saffron party only to deny it power for the next 20 months as per the coalition agreement.

''It is unheard of in coalition dharma that a coalition partner betray the other at the cost of its own government,'' he said.

Stating that Karnataka elections was crucial for both the BJP and the country, he said a victory for his party would help it dislodge the ''most inefficient'' UPA Government at the Centre.

Referring to the terrorist attack on the Indian Institute of Science here in 2005, Mr Advani said it was intended to weaken the IT sector in the state.

''No serious attempt was made either to prevent it or to arrest the culprits. This was an attempt to damage Karnataka's reputation as the best IT destination in the country,'' he alleged.

He said if the BJP was elected to power, party senior leader B S Yeddyurappa, who had displayed his administrative capabilities by presenting two good successive budgets, would be the Chief Minister.

Criticising the Congress, which tried to form the government in 2004 even after people rejected it, he said it was to prevent the BJP from coming to power despite the party winning more number of seats.

Referring to the Congress not projecting any leader as its Chief Ministerial candidate, he said it amounted to a cricket team going for a Twenty20 match without naming its captain.

''Deciding on the captain after the match is over is nothing but absurd,'' he said.

He said electorate in Karnataka would give a clear verdict this time and his party was ready to provide good governance and strive for the overall development of the state.

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