Cong slams BJP gameplan to grab power in Karnataka

Kolkata: WBPCC president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday slammed the BJP for its attempt to “grab power” in Karnataka “undemocratically” and expressed happiness over the “win of democracy”.

Describing the political development in Karnataka during the day which saw the resignation of the newly appointed chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa ahead of the trust vote, Mr Chowdhury said, “What happened after the result of Karnataka election was over was most unwanted. And what has happened now is win of democracy and people’s mandate.”

Welcoming the development in Karnataka in favour of the Congress-JDS combine, Mr Chowdhury lauded their elected leaders who had shown “absolute loyalty” to their respective parties despite provocation.

Earlier, the Youth Congress demonstrated before the Raj Bhavan here condemning the BJP “gameplan” to grab power in Karnataka and 27 demonstrators and were arrested by the police for violating prohibitory orders in the area.

A group of slogan shouting Youth Congress workers walked in a procession waving placards and assembled before the Raj Bhavan north gate before the Karnataka assembly session began and condemned the way BJP was trying to snatch power in the southern state undemocratically.

The demonstrators alleged that the BJP was trying to prove its majority in the House through ‘horse-trading’ The placards read “Hai Hai BJP”, “BJP murderer of democracy in Karnataka”, “Shame on BJP”. The arrested were later released on personal bonds.

The Youth Congress leaders were led by Asutosh Chatterjee, who too was arrested by the police for violating prohibitory orders around the Raj Bhavan, “We had assembled before the Raj Bhavan to register our protest against the way BJP circumvented all democratic principles to come to power in Karn-ataka despite falling short of the requisite numbers.”