Parties attack BJP, say it should take lessons from Karnataka episode

NEW DELHI: The Congress and several other parties on Saturday hit out at the BJP, claiming all attempts to use money and muscle power failed in Karnataka and asked the saffron party to take lessons from the episode.

Soon after B S Yeddyurappa resigned as the chief minister, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi launched a strong attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that "he is corruption" and his claims of fighting it were "a blatant lie".

He also said that the opposition parties will now on unite to fight the BJP-RSS and defeat it in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"The idea that the prime minister spreads around the country that he is fighting corruption is a blatant lie. He is a corruption. He is doing everything to subvert this nation and he is doing it across the board," he said at a press conference.

An aggressive Gandhi alleged that there were phone conversations of MLAs being attempted to be purchased by the BJP, saying, "That was directly authorised from Delhi." 

"In the end, India's voice and democratic spirit will always triumph over tyranny," he later tweeted, saying 'satyamev jayate' (the truth shall prevail).

The Congress leader said he was very proud that the parties opposed to the BJP, stood together and defeated it in Karnataka and "we will continue to do" so.

"We will protect the voice of the people in every state, wherever we feel the BJP is attacking the people...The opposition will unite and coordinate and defeat the BJP (in 2019). We are going to work to defeat the BJP," he said.

Noting that he is not a casteist and does not believe in untouchability, he said the Congress, along with other parties will continue to fight the BJP-RSS.

As the three-day-old BJP government collapsed in Karnataka, without facing a floor test, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BSP's Mayawati, SP's Akhilesh Yadav, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and Left leaders dubbed it as a victory of democracy and truth.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Banerjee termed it as a "victory of the regional front" and of democracy.

"Democracy wins. Congratulations Karnataka. Congratulations DeveGowda Ji, Kumaraswamy Ji, Congress and others. Victory of the 'regional' front (sic)," she tweeted as she greeted JD(S) leaders H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy as well as those of the Congress party.

The BJP, however, put up a brave face with Union minister Prakash Javadekar saying the party knows how to "respect democracy" and the Congress was treating an electoral defeat as a victory.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar claimed that the new government would not last long as it was an "unholy nexus."

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said the use of money power and state machinery is not always helpful, as she asked the BJP to take lessons from the fall of its government in Karnataka.

With its "defeat" in Karnataka, BJP's dream of capturing every state has suffered a setback, she said.

"The governors appointed by the BJP are under pressure of working according to the party's diktats," she alleged, asking them to step down instead of succumbing to pressure. She also said the Supreme Court ensured that BJP's "designs" are defeated. 

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed the collapse of the Yeddyurappa government as a "victory of the people's mandate" and asked the central government to resign on moral grounds.

"Those who thought they could buy everyone has learnt the lesson that there are still people left who don't consider politics a business," he said in Hindi on Twitter.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav also took to Twitter, saying, "Truth can never be defeated! Truth will always defeat a lie or liar!." 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that BJP's attempt to "subvert democracy" in Karnataka "failed miserably".

"BJP's attempts to subvert democracy have miserably failed in Karnataka. BJP's lust for power through foul means stands completely exposed. Will BJP learn any lesson now? India's judiciary has risen to the occasion and has safeguarded our democracy," he said on Twitter.

Left parties termed Yeddyurappa's resignation without a trust vote as "victory of secular democratic forces".

"It's a victory of secular democratic forces. The BJP never had the numbers, but the governor invited them to form government. The party was given time for horse-trading. Karnataka showed that the BJP's downslide has started," CPI leader D Raja said.

In his press conference, Gandhi also alleged that everybody in this country knows that the prime minister's model of leadership is not that of a democratic person "It is that of a dictator. Everybody knows that. You know, I know that. The Supreme Court knows that. Even the prime minister knows that."

Asked whether he supports the demand for resignation of Governor Vajubhai Vala, he said, "The governor has no choice...Yes, it's a good idea if he resigns, but I can guarantee you that under the BJP rule the next man will do exactly the same thing."

Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said democracy in Karnataka was ?saved for the time being?.

"Poor Mr Yeddyurappa. When the puppeteers fail, the puppet falls and breaks," he tweeted. 

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the BJP's "operation lotus" to poach legislators from other parties has failed and democracy has won in Karnataka.