Cong MLA's resignation authenticates unease in Karnataka ruling coalition: Yeddyurappa
Bengaluru, Jul 1: Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Monday said Vijayanagara Congress MLA Anand Singh's resignation authenticates large-scale unease in the ruling coalition and the government will collapse under its own weight, after which his party will explore the constitutional provisions to form the new government.
Ruling out the possibility of fresh polls, the former chief minister said those in the BJP were not "sanyasis" (seers), and the future of the government is based on the decision taken by over 20 disgruntled Congress-JD(S) legislators.
"About the political developments, I am yet to know about the resignation of Anand Singh. The only thing is that his resignation has authenticated me saying that there is large-scale unease in Congress. We are not bothered about the resignations, our first concern is the people and drought," he said.
"We will keep watching the situation. Anything may happen. If the government collapses, we are not responsible. It will collapse under its own weight," he told reporters.
"Only after the collapse of this government we can explore the constitutional provisions to form the new government. There is no question of elections. We are a strong force of 105 members and we have every right to make a claim for forming the government if the present one collapses," he added.
Congress MLA Anand Singh Monday announced his resignation, opposing the state government's decision to sell 3,667 acres to JSW Steel at Ballari, his home district.
He had also demanded that Vijayanagara be made a district.
Speculations are rife that Singh, who was a minister in the BJP government, may go back to the saffron party's fold.
He joined the Congress ahead of the May 2018 assembly polls.
Though there were speculations earlier about him going back to the BJP, Singh had denied it and expressed his loyalty to the Congress and the coalition government.
Stating that he has heard about Singh's resignation only through the media, Yeddyurappa in response to a question about more legislators resigning said, "Wait and watch."
Ruling out any attempts by the BJP to pull down the government or luring MLAs, he said let us see if legislators resign on their own.
A rout in the recent Lok Sabha polls and dissidence within the Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka has led to fears of an onslaught by the BJP to destabilise the state government, a claim denied by the saffron party.
While the Congress and JD(S) managed to win only one seat each, the BJP in its best ever performance had won 25 out of 27 seats it had contested.
An independent candidate supported by the saffron party-Sumalatha Ambareesh- won in Mandya.
Responding to a question as to whether he was confident about the collapse of this government with resignation of MLAs, Yeddyurappa said, "I am only aware that over 20 Congress-JD(S) MLAs are disgruntled. I have been saying this for the last two months. The future of this government is based on what decision they take."
Asked whether the BJP was ready to form the government or will it go for polls, he said, "Are we sanyasis? There is no question about going for fresh elections. If MLAs resign and if we get an opportunity to form the government, we will form the government and give good administration."
With Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy recently inducting two independents into the ministry in an apparent move to give stability to his 13-month-old wobbly government, the coalition strength in the 224-member assembly stands at 118 (Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP-1 and Independents-2), besides the Speaker.
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
