No MLA will quit Congress & join BJP, says Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, May 10: Asserting that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government will be stable, coordination committee chief and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Friday said no MLA would leave the grand old party and go with the BJP.
"BJP people are lying; no MLA will go with them.... the government that is there will be stable," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Kalburgi district.
Alleging that Yeddyurappa has "lust" for power, he said "he had to resign in three days as Chief Minister. he should be ashamed...but still he is claiming repeatedly that he will become Chief Minister, 20 MLAs will come. From where will they come?"
"No one (is disgruntled in Congress), disgruntled are in the BJP," the CLP leader said and asked whether the BJP would 'buy" their MLAs and where they would get the money for that.
Siddaramaiah's response came following Yeddyurappa's statement that the longevity of the Congress-JDS coalition government in the state would depend on the stand taken by about 20 "disgruntled" Congress legislators after the Lok Sabha poll results on May 23.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao too hit out at Yeddyurappa and said no one would leave the party.
He said, "Does his (Yeddyurappa) word have any value? Has he been able to do what he has been claiming? Every time he keeps uttering that the government will fall, we have so many people...
We have also heard his tapes, promising Rs 20 crore to lure MLAs, where will he get the money from, who is giving?"
Rao was referring to the controversial audio tapes, which came out in February this year, showing Yeddyurappa in a purported conversation to lure a JD(S) MLAs in his alleged attempt to topple the Congress-JDS government.
The government has said it will get the audio clip investigated by a Special Investigation Team.
"20 Legislators or anybody else, no one will go. It's also not possible. After the May 23 results, government will become much stronger and continue," he added.
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Violence reported in several parts of Kerala after civic poll results
Kozhikode (PTI): Violence erupted overnight at various places across Kerala, particularly in northern districts, following the announcement of local body election results, police said.
In Eramala in Kozhikode district, tension prevailed throughout the night after the Indira Gandhi Bhavan, a Congress office, was allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers.
According to an FIR registered at Edachery police station, around 200 people marched towards the Congress office carrying dangerous weapons and vandalised the building, causing damage estimated at around Rs five lakh.
A statue of late prime minister Indira Gandhi was also damaged in the attack, police said. Soon after, UDF activists gathered at the spot, further aggravating the situation.
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However, with the deployment of additional police personnel, the situation was brought under control, an officer said.
Police said another violent incident was reported at Marad, where stones were allegedly pelted at a UDF victory procession, leaving several persons injured.
In Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district, police registered a case after a car carrying a UDF activist and his family members was allegedly attacked by around 40 CPI(M) workers, an official said.
Sultan Bathery police also booked UDF activists in a separate incident for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) worker who objected to the bursting of crackers near his house, the officer said.
In Panoor in Kannur district, houses of several Muslim League activists were allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers. Vehicles parked at the houses were also damaged.
According to Panoor police, the violence broke out after a UDF victory rally was allegedly stopped by CPI(M) workers armed with swords and daggers. Some UDF leaders sustained injuries in the clash.
Clashes were also reported between UDF and LDF workers at Ulikkal in Kannur district, though police intervention brought the situation under control later in the night, an officer in the Ulikkal police station said.
In Bedakom in Kasaragod district, an LDF victory march turned violent after CPI(M) activists allegedly intercepted UDF workers passing through the area. Some policemen who intervened suffered minor injuries, an officer said.
Similar violence was reported from Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district following clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers. Police said workers from both sides sustained minor injuries and were admitted to hospitals. Cases will be registered after formal complaints are received, police said.
