BJP demands white paper on Karnataka's financial status

The JD(S) and the BJP locked horns in the Karnataka assembly on Tuesday over allegations that the coalition government is a 'non-starter'.

JD(S) MLA A.T. Ramaswamy hit back at the BJP for dubbing the JD(S)-Congress coalition an "unholy alliance" by reminding the saffron party that they too had shared power with the JD(S) in 2006. "Did you not welcome JD(S)-BJP coalition in 2006? In Bihar, a pre-poll alliance was severed to forge a new alliance with the BJP. Is that not unholy,” he questioned.

Upset over the BJP mounting pressure on Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to implement total farm loan waiver as promised by him in the poll manifesto, Ramaswamy pointed out that even a single-party government finds it difficult to implement the entire poll manifesto. "For coalition governments, it is a bigger challenge....A committee to draft the common minimum programme was formed to incorporate the manifestos of both the partners," he added.

Leader of the opposition B.S. Yeddyurappa reiterated that the coalition was against people's mandate and charged that all development works in the state remained suspended for the past three months. He said there has been no sign of the new government taking off owing to lack of coordination among the coalition partners.

"All development works in the state have been totally stopped since March 28 after the code of conduct was imposed. The government should bring out a white paper on the financial status of the state before tabling the budget as the debts have mounted to Rs 2.38 lakh crore. Moreover, there is a huge pendant of bills as well. Now, how will you make budgetary allocations," asked Yeddyurappa.

Ridiculing the Congress party for switching an alliance even before the poll results, Yeddyurappa asked Kumaraswamy why the latter had agreed to become the chief minister before seeking unconditional support from the Congress to implement his poll promises.

"Congress is reduced from 122 to 78 seats as people have rejected their programmes and rule. The JD(S) too has been reduced from 40 seats to 37. It is a mockery of democracy. In such a situation, people would have appreciated even a Congress chief minister. But a party that came third leads the government today. The BJP, which won 104 seats, is ready to sit in the opposition. But you struck a coalition even before results only to keep the BJP out of power," said Yedddyurappa.

Earlier, Ramaswamy had cornered the BJP stating that JD() sharing power despite winning only 37 seats is no aberration."In Jharkhand, an independent MLA, Madhu Koda, was made the chief minister of a coalition government in 2006. But when JD(S) does it, it becomes opportunistic politics."

The veteran leader pointed out that a lot of time was wasted on frivolous things instead of focusing on governance. "First, the tussle for cabinet berth, then for portfolio allocation, allotment of cars and official residence, demand to deploy officers of their choice. As legislators, we must do some introspection," said Ramaswamy.