Siddaramaiah predicts fall of BJP govt, mid-term polls
Bengaluru, Sept 30: Expressing confidence that Congress would win all 15 constituencies in the coming bypolls in Karnataka, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday predicted the collapse of the BJP government and possibility of mid-term polls in the state.
Calling Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa a "weak Chief Minister", the Congress Legislature Party leader said he feels "pity" for him.
"BJP has formed the government with the support of 105 MLAs. They don't have 113 MLAs. It is a minority government, that too formed immorally by luring Congress-JD(S) legislators.
The government was not formed with public mandate," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters in Raichur, he sought to know how the government would survive if Congress wins all 15 seats.
"There are then chances that election (mid-term polls) may come," he said.
The bypolls to 15 of the 17 seats represented by the disqualified MLAs, which the Election Commission had earlier decided to defer until the Supreme Court decides on their plea, challenging their disqualification, has now been scheduled for December 5.
The 15 constituencies that will go to the polls are Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapura, K R Pura, Yeshwanthpura, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagara,Hosakote, K R Pete and Hunsur.
Among the 15 constituencies, 12 were represented by Congress and three by JD(S).
Winning most seats in the coming by-elections is crucial for BJP to stay in power.
The ruling party has 105MLAs (including one independent) in the assembly, whose current strength is 208 (after 17 disqualifications).
While the Congress' strength is 66, JD(S) has 34 MLAsin the assembly, that also consists of one BSP member, a nominated member and the Speaker.
The actual strength of the assembly is 225 and the half way mark is 113.
BJP will need to win at least six seats in the bypolls for 15 constituencies to remain in majority in the assembly, which will still have two vacant seats (Maskiand R R Nagar).
Siddaramaiah, who termed Yediyurappa as a "weak Chief Minister", hit out at the BJP governments at the centre and state for its "failure" in providing relief to those affected by floods and delay in release of funds from union government.
"Yediyurappa doesn't have the courage to go to Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seek central relief for flood.
At least if he takes us to them, we will raise our voices.
That's why I have said Yediyurappa is a weak Chief Minister.
I feel pity for him, he is being tortured. His feathers have been clipped by central leaders (BJP)," he said.
Questioning whether the government was functioning, he said he was not aware if there were any ministers in it, as they were "not to be seen."
One of them was camping at Mysuru to oversee the Dasara festival in that city, he said.
Karnataka has sent a flood damage estimate of Rs 35,160.81 crore to the centre and is waiting for the relief.
As many as 103 taluks in 22 districts were affected due to floods last month, in which over 80 people were killed.
Around seven lakh people were shifted to safe areas and tens of thousands of houses were damaged.
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Power struggle in ruling Cong has 'created massive confusion' in Karnataka: BJP leader Ashoka
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday claimed that the ongoing power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar has created massive confusion in Karnataka.
He remarked that the proverb “when two people fight, the third one benefits” has come true, as AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge is also now making efforts to become Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters here, Ashoka said the entire government has turned into a house of confusion due to the alleged power tussle.
Kharge’s new statement has only added to the chaos, he said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had on Friday said that no date has been fixed yet to discuss possible leadership change in Karnataka.
This came a day after Kharge said there was no change of CM in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state would be resolved soon.
The BJP leader said that Kharge too has aspirations and that he was cheated earlier.
"Perhaps he has received a green signal from the Congress high command to become CM. Everyone is already saying Kharge should become CM. Kharge himself has declared, “I am ready to become CM.” Despite many attempts in the past, he never became CM. Now he is trying to seize the opportunity," the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly said.
According to him, the situation in Congress has perfectly become a case of “two people fighting, third one benefits.”
