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BJP rallies to protest ‘betrayal’ in Karnataka

By IANS

Bangalore : Even as the beleaguered Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy readied to call it quits, an upbeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday launched its weeklong protest rally against the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) for refusing to hand over power in accordance to their agreement.

The rally, christened ‘dharma yuddha’ or war for justice, began from Tumkur, about 70 km from here, after BJP leaders led by former deputy chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa took the blessings of century-old pontiff Shivakumar Swami of the Siddaganga mutt.

Hundreds of party workers and supporters descended on the town to join the rally, sporting the party’s saffron flags and beating drums. Thousands of people from the small town and nearby villages gathered to watch the rally, pro-BJP and anti-JD-S slogans renting the air.

Addressing the rally, an agitated Yediyurappa – who was to be the chief minister if JD-S had transferred power on Oct 3 – said the party’s state leadership would tour Karnataka over the next seven days to explain to people how it was betrayed by the coalition partner.

“Though we stood by our word to quit the ministry Oct 2, as agreed upon 20 months ago, Kumarswamy failed to transfer power and extend his party’s support to us for continuing the coalition government for another 20 months.

“We will tell people how Kumaraswamy betrayed not only our party, but also the 50 million Kannadigas by refusing to honour the power-sharing accord. We will not rest till the chief minister quits or the governor dismisses the minority government,” Yediyurappa said amid frenzy noises and euphoria.

In his 30-minute speech, he recalled what transpired between the two coalition partners during the last 20 months after they came together on the understanding that the BJP would be allowed to form the government from Oct 3 till the end of the five-year assembly term.

Refuting the charges levelled by Kumaraswamy that there were serious differences within the BJP over making him the next chief minister, Yediyurappa said the party was united and even its central leadership had endorsed his candidature for the top post in the state.

“We are united. Let Kumaraswamy not try to create a wedge and divide us. We will go to the people and seek their blessings to win the next elections with a thumping majority to form our own government in the state and the first of its kind in south India,” Yediyurappa asserted.

The party’s state president D.V. Sadananda Gowda, general secretary N.S. Ananth Kumar and other leaders also assailed Kumaraswamy and his father, JD-S chief H.D. Deve Gowda for causing a “constitutional crisis” in the state by refusing to transfer power.