KALABURAGI: Minister for Social Welfare Priyank Kharge has dubbed the reported statements by BJP State President B.S. Yeddyurappa that his party will form a new government in the state by September 23 as ‘daydreaming.’ During an interaction with the media here, Mr Priyank said, “There is the Constitution and norms to be followed. Can we draw an inference from these statements that the BJP is behind the foisting of cases by the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department on Congress leaders?”,
When his attention was drawn to the reported meeting Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi had with 20 dissident Congress and JDS legislators, Mr Priyank said he did not want to react as he was not aware of any such meeting. “The high command is there which will handle the issue,” he said.
Dismissing reports that 13-14 legislators of the Congress are in touch with the BJP. he said, “The Congress is in politics for over a hundred and thirty years. Do you think that some BJP leaders are not in touch with us? About 10 BJP legislators are ready to quit their party and join us. Our commitment is to rule for five years. If the BJP tries to destabilise our government, we have to take measures to safeguard it, we cannot remain mute spectators. But we are not adopting unconstitutional steps like what they are doing to remove the government”, he remarked.
On reports that the Jarkiholi brothers have sought the involvement of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mr Priyank sternly asked the Maharashtra Chief Minister to mind his state’s affairs as he would soon be facing Assembly election. “Is this development an indication that state BJP leaders are incapable of handling their affairs? Leaders like Mr Fadnavis and Yogi Adityanath(UP CM) are brought here for backroom negotiations and also for spending money for purchasing legislators”, Mr Priyank claimed.
