‘BJP should learn lessons from developments in Karnataka’

Puducherry, May 20

PuducherryChief Minister V Narayanasamy on Sunday said the “game plan” and “machinations” of the BJP in Karnataka had been nullified by the MLAs belonging to the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) through their firm and strong unity in the state.

Talking to reporters here, Narayanasamy said the BJP could not succeed in its strategies in Karnataka as the legislators of the Congress and JD (S) were too firm to be lured by any means and defeated the attempts of the BJP to encourage defection.

He said, “The BJP’s dream of purchasing legislators through money power and authority to beef up its strength on the floor of the House had also been smashed.” The senior Congress leader appealed to the BJP to draw lessons from the Karnataka experiment and “refrain” from causing disturbance to democratically elected dispensations.

“This sort of game plan by the BJP had been defeated in Karnataka and the party should draw a lesson from this experiment,” he said.

Narayanasamy also said the BJP should abstain from using the Governors or Lt Governors according to its whims and fancies in the States.

“The Governor of Karnataka should quit office and express regret for violating all the statutory provisions,” he added.

On sanction of funds for setting up a second berth at Puducherry port, Narayansamy said, the Centre has responded positively to provide Rs 85 crore to the port in the Union Territory for a second berth for the ships to strengthen the transactions under the Sagar Mala scheme.

Already the Centre had released Rs 44 crores for development of infrastructures in the port.

B S Yeddyurappa had yesterday stepped down as Chief Minister without facing the floor test in the Karnataka Assembly as the BJP fell short of numbers.

The post-election-stitched alliance of the JDS and Congress, which claims the support of 117 members, has already staked it’s claim to form the government and said it would be headed by Kumaraswamy, who would be the Chief Minister for a second time.

The May 12 Karnataka Assembly polls threw up a hung Assembly, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats. PTI