Yeddyurappa seeks dissolution of Karnataka assembly and fresh polls
Bengaluru, May 28: BJP's Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa Tuesday said it would be "better" if the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in the State dissolves the assembly and goes for fresh polls.
The former chief minister also ruled out the possibility of any BJP MLA switching sides to the Congress or the JD(S).
"In 177 assembly constituencies (out of 224) we are in number one place, we have won 25 Lok sabha constituencies (out of 28), better if they dissolve the assembly and go for fresh elections...we will welcome (if they take that decision)," Yeddyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters here, he asserted that not even a single MLA from the Bharatiya Janata Party will go to the Congress or the Janata Dal (Secular) as being claimed by those parties.
"I'm not bothered....it is impossible, they (Congress and JDS) are saying such thing to create confusion," he added.
The Congress-JD(S) alliance having faced a rout in the Lok Sabha polls with both parties managed to win only one seat each, and growing discontent within the parties with some of their members blaming the partnership for their "worst ever" performance, coalition leaders fear BJP may poach its MLAs taking advantage of the situation.
Aimed at saving the government, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has swung into action and is personally meeting disgruntled legislators, mainly from the Congress and is making attempts to pacify them.
Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has allegedly been rubbing shoulders with the BJP for some time, has threatened to resign from the party along with some MLAs after the Lok Sabha polls, worrying the coalition leadership as it will trigger a number game in the assembly.
The BJP has predicted the collapse of the coalition and increase in its tally in the assembly after the Lok Sabha poll results, claiming that 20-odd Congress MLAs are unhappy and may take a decision anytime.
Not willing to give any direct response to a question about the BJP forming the government, Yeddyurappa said: "We will wait and see the atmosphere...and will take appropriate decision in appropriate time."
Though Karnataka BJP leaders were upbeat about the collapse of the coalition government after the Lok Sabha results, the party central leadership is said to have asked the state leadership not to make any immediate attempts to topple the government, party sources said.
According to the sources, the state leadership has been asked to wait till Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet is sworn in, as any move at this juncture would send a wrong message.
Out of the 224-member Karnataka assembly, the BJP has 105 MLAs, Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP (1), Independent (1)(both currently supporting the ruling alliance), KPJP (1) and the Speaker.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
