NEW DELHI, MAY 17,
Stepping up its attack on the BJP after its leader B.S. Yeddyurappa was sworn-in as Karnataka Chief Minister on May 17, the Congress claimed he will turn out to be a “one-day Chief Minister” as he lacks majority and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah to prove the numbers by May 18. The Congress also attacked Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, accusing him of “encountering (killing)” the Constitution twice, first by inviting the BJP to form government on May 16 and allowing Mr. Yeddyurappa to take oath on May 17 while a matter in this connection is set to be heard on May 18 by the Supreme Court.
The Congress and the JD(S) late on May 16 jointly petitioned before the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the oath-taking ceremony, as communicated by the Governor to the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Mr. Yeddyurappa. The court did not stay the swearing-in ceremony and the next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 18.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also announced that his party will protest the Governor’s decision on May 18 by holding dharnas across the country. “Yeddyurappa will turn out one-day Chief Minister. His fate as CM is dependent on the court hearing,” he told reporters in New Delhi.
“How come the Governor invite them to form government when the BJP does not have numbers to do so the Governor has encountered the Constitution twice he has murdered democracy,” Mr. Surjewala said, alleging that the Governor was working at the behest of the BJP’s central leadership.
Hitting back at Mr. Shah over his “Congress murdered democracy” barb, Mr. Surjewala dared him and Mr. Modi to prove the BJP’s majority on May 18 itself on the floor of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
“If you (Modi and Shah) have courage of conviction, have belief in the Constitution, have faith in democracy, we dare you to prove your majority tomorrow itself on the floor of Karnataka Legislative Assembly and the truth will win and democracy shall win for you will be decisively decimated and defeated,” the Congress leader said.
Attacking the Congress earlier in the day, Mr. Shah said that democracy was murdered the moment a “desperate” Congress made an “opportunist” offer to the JD(S) to form the government in Karnataka for “petty political gains”.
“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!” he said in a tweet.
