K'taka: Kharge charges BJP for luring MLAs

Bangalore, Jul 8: Karnataka Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge today held national Bhratiya Janata Party including its president Rajnath Singh and L K Advani directly responsible for encouraging 'luring' of MLAs from his party and Janata Dal (Secular).

Speaking to newsmen here he said state BJP Chief Sadanandagowda had said that his party leaders approved entry of other party MLAs into BJP after resigning and this showed that the action had the approval by the party's national leadership. This also showed the shape of things to come in future during the Lok Sabha Elections and how the BJP was preparing its strategy to promote defection from other parties, he added.

He said those loyal to the party would remain and would not be falling victims to the sinister designs of the BJP. It was unfortunate that the BJP leaders had 'lured' the MLAs by offering money and funds to develop their constituencies. By joining BJP these legislators had betrayed the electorate and the people should teach them a lesson when they recontested, he felt.

To a question he said senior party leader Siddaramaiah would not quit the congress as appeared in a section of the press. It was for him to react on why he was being inactive in the party affairs, he told a questioner.

He took exception to the 'style of accepting' the resignation letters by Speaker Jagadish Shettar and said the clarification issued by him in this regard was 'far from truth.' His action would be questioned during the next session of the Assembly, he added.

Earlier, he clarified the stand taken by the Congress to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a delegation on July 6 and said the Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa wanted to cover up his lapses and hence the party chose not to join the all party delegation.

UNI