Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi lock horns over Karnataka outcome

BJP chief Amit Shah slammed Congress President Rahul Gandhi for calling the swearing-in ceremony of BS Yeddyurappa as "mockery" of the Constitution. Amit Shah responded by describing the rival party's actions as a "murder of democracy".

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "The BJP's irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn't have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution. This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy."

The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a Govt. in Karnataka, even though it clearly doesn’t have the numbers, is to make a mockery of our Constitution.

This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 17, 2018

Rahul Gandhi reacted to the Supreme Court allowing the BJP to form the government in the state after the May 12 assembly polls threw up a hung assembly. BJP has 104 members, while Congress secured 78, the JD(S) 37 and others three. The saffron party and a post-poll alliance of Congress-JD(S) had staked claims for government formation.

Amit Shah on the day of swearing-in ceremony of BS Yeddyurappa in a scathing response against Rahul, said the Congress party's "opportunist offer" of alliance to the JD(S) was a murder of democracy as it was politically motivated.

"The 'Murder of Democracy' happens the minute a desperate Congress made an 'opportunist' offer to the JD(S), not for Karnataka's welfare but for their petty political gains. Shameful!" fired Shah in a tweet.

The ‘Murder of Democracy’ happens the minute a desperate Congress made an ‘opportunist’ offer to the JD(S), not for Karnataka’s welfare but for their petty political gains. Shameful!

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 17, 2018