BJP did not engineer defections says J P Nadda

New Delhi, July 27: Dismissing the Opposition's claim that his party engineered defections to bring down the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka, BJP working president JP Nadda said that it fell due to internal reasons and asserted that his party would provide a stable government in the state.

"They (Congress-JD-S) fell under their own weight due to internal reasons...The BJP is synonymous with stability. Wherever we go, we bring stability," Nadda told reporters at his maiden press conference where he also shared the Narendra Modi government's achievements in its first 50 days.

Asked about the fact that BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, who is taking oath as chief minister, is over the 75-year age bar the party has stipulated for its leaders holding any government position, he played it down.

Yeddyurappa was the leader of the BJP legislature party in the state and it was natural for him to be the party's choice for the chief minister's post, he said.

"It depends," he said when quizzed about the party's age-bar and then added, "you see, first of all he is a leader, he is an elected leader of the legislature party. Accordingly, he is taking oath. It is a continuous process and the party takes note of ongoing developments from time to time."

As the leader of opposition he is alright and the day he takes oath the question is asked about his age, he said, adding that it does not work like that.

The BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its president Amit Shah has introduced the 75 years limit for ministers in the party-run governments as well as for its candidates in the recent Lok Sabha election to ease out many veterans, including LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Sumitra Mahajan among others.

Asked about reports that some rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs may be accommodated by the BJP government in Karnataka as ministers, Nadda said it is for these MLAs to decide their future course of action.