With the BJP yet again changing the Karnataka Chief Minister under pressure from B.S. Yeddyurappa, political parties have hit out at the party for not following what it preached on corruption and scams.
The former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president, H.D. Deve Gowda, said though changing the Chief Minister was the BJP’s internal matter, he did not understand how senior leader L.K. Advani, who had been fighting against black money in and out of Parliament, was “helplessly” supporting the move of a few BJP leaders to shield some tainted persons in Karnataka.
Congress general secretary B.K. Hari Prasad, referring to Jagadish Shettar’s appointment as Chief Minister in place of D.V. Sadananda Gowda, described it as the “victory of corruption.” The “cosmetic change” in the State would not result in any substantial improvement in governance, which was at the receiving end.
The present “Karnataka Ka Natak” (drama), which resulted in the change of Chief Minister, would only be temporary, and it would again resurface after three months as Mr. Shettar would just be another puppet in someone else’s hands. Mr. Prasad demanded dissolution of the Assembly and announcement of fresh polls as uncertainty in the administration had affected the people.
“Double standards”
CPI national secretary D. Raja slammed the BJP for adopting double standards on the issue of corruption. The party, which cried hoarse on the irregularities or scams in other parties, kept mum and took a different view when its own functionaries got caught in corruption.
Referring to the change of three Chief Ministers in five years in Karnataka, Mr. Raja said it showed that the party was in disarray in the State. The BJP had claimed that it was a party with a difference. “Probably changing CMs frequently, succumbing to the diktats of someone, may be the difference?”
Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav, whose party is a constituent of the NDA, said the BJP had to take the decision to keep its vote base intact and the flock together ahead of the Presidential election.
The BJP had taken the right decision by appointing Mr. Shettar as “the party has to keep its Lingayat vote base intact.” Caste had its influence in the whole country, including Karnataka, and politics did function under its influence. In fact, Mr. Gowda had made a “political sacrifice” for the BJP to keep its vote base intact, Mr. Yadav claimed.