BJP ready to sit in opp in K'taka: Advani

Bangalore, May 3: Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani today said his party was ready to sit in opposition in the Karnataka Assembly and act responsibly if it failed to get a majority to form a new government in the state.

Speaking to newsmen here he said the people of Karnataka had an opportunity and an obligation unto themselves to ensure that 2004 result, which led to a hung Assembly, did not repeat itself in 2008. The virus of opportunism and betrayal by the Congress and JD(S) played havoc with governance and development in the state, he recalled adding "give us a chance once after all you have tested both Congress and the Janata Dal." Replying to queries he said he was confident that the party would get a majority to form the new government. If the party failed to get the people's clear mandate it would sit in the opposition benches and function, he added.

Replying to a question Mr Advani denied the party had given prominence to land developers and real estate agents and said by and large the list sent by the state party unit was unanimous. Accusations in this regard was baseless, he added. On inflation, he said the United Progressive Alliance Government's claims of taking effective measures to control inflation and reduce prices of essential commodities were untrue.

Congress would have to pay a big price for its failure to rein in price rise, which affected common people the most and the first place where it would have to pay a heavy price was Karnataka itself.

UNI