The opposition parties in Karnataka have demanded dissolution of Legislative Assembly, stating the Yediyurappa government has become "defunct".
"The infighting in the ruling BJP has resulted in a total collapse of the administration in the state. The governor should immediately intervene to dismiss the BJP government in the state," said Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The former chief minister's demand comes close on the heals of Yediyurappa's detractors within the BJP demanding a change of leadership, which had led to party national general secretary Arun Singh rushing to the state to quell dissidence.
Even as Singh is busy with his one-to-one meetings with party legislators at the state BJP office, the Congress leaders mocked the ruling party for its "misplaced priorities".
"The ministers and MLAs who are supposed to supervise Covid relief work are huddled in the BJP office. The state is in anarchy as there is no government," said Siddaramaiah, adding that despite the surge in Covid cases and deaths, the virus spreading in the rural areas and the warning from experts that a third wave is not far away, the government had faltered on vaccinating the people due to vaccine shortage, confusion over the gap between two doses and the friction between the government and private hospitals.
"Amid a health emergency, the CM should have taken all the ministers into confidence to bail out the people from this crisis. Instead, the CM and his cabinet colleagues are falling at the feet of the party high command only to save their chair. The BJP high command is playing its own game by instigating the state leaders to fight each other. [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi has proved that he is a weak leader by failing to curb dissent and infighting in Karnataka BJP, which is detrimental to the state's interest. Let Modi reveal if he has a 56-inch chest," taunted Siddaramaiah.
Former chief minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said there was a dearth of leadership in the BJP.
"What is the use of having a government without a leader? The Assembly must be dissolved. A government without a leader is dangerous. The BJP legislators themselves are admitting that their current leadership is flawed and there is no alternative leadership, too. So, this is clearly a bad government. How is the BJP that prescribes strong leadership for the development of the country tolerating a headless government? Why is the party reluctant to replace the leader when their own MLAs are demanding a change? A party without a leader should stay out of power," slammed Kumaraswamy, who also alleged that the Congress was responsible for installing a power-hungry BJP, which is oblivious to the sufferings of the people.
"The Congress must introspect as they had chased away their own MLAs to the BJP out of their jealousy towards the JD(S) during the coaling rule," alleged Kumaraswamy.
