Bommai dismisses allegations ofplot to destabilise Congress govt in state

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday alleged that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s allegations of a conspiracy being hatched overseas by some BJP and JD(S) leaders to destabilise the government in Karnataka is aimed at deflecting public attention from the discontent brewing within the ruling party.

Shivakumar on Monday claimed that a plot was being hatched in Singapore to topple Karnataka’s Congress government.

It created a flutter in political circles. The former chief minister, clarifying that no BJP leader has indulged in any such activities to topple the government, said the failures of this government have naturally led to disgruntlement among the legislators and infighting, “Shivakumar’s statements are leading to instability in this government. I have been observing it. There was no need for him to speak about Singapore, but it is aimed at deflecting public attention from the consequences of B K Hariprasad’s comments. And to unnecessarily target the opposition parties, he made those statements,” Bommai said.

MLC Hariprasad on July 21 courted controversy saying he knew “how to make or bring the CM down”.

Speaking to reporters here, Bommai said, “It (Shivakumar’s statement) was also aimed at preparing the base for his (Shivakumar) future strategy and on the whole to make known his displeasure against the government. No BJP leader has indulged in any such activity. The government has full majority, let them give good administration.”

Claiming that Congress MLAs are unhappy about the process of election of the leader of the legislature party and also about cabinet expansion, Bommai said the discontent had continued even during the cabinet formation.