Be a Congress spokesman, BJP tells Karnataka Governor

PTI

Bangalore, 18 September 2010: Firing a fresh salvo, BJP today flayed Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj for criticising the party and ’’dabbling in politics’’ and taunted him to become Congress spokesman if he was so interested.

 

Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu accused the Governor of getting into political arena, making comments about BJP, "talking about our ministers" and "giving us sermons".

 

"...the Governor has been unnecessarily dabbling in the political arena," he told reporters here, adding, as per his knowledge, no Governor has in the past named or criticised any political party.

 

"If the Governor (Bhardwaj) is so interested, we will be very happy if he can become a spokesman of the Congress or (its) in-charge or discharge or recharge (the party’s) batteries because the Congress is in a very bad shape."

 

He was apparently referring to the Congress’ poor show in the two assembly bye-elections in the state which saw the principal opposition finishing third and yielding a seat.

 

"Governor is not expected to criticise political parties," he added. BJP in Karnataka and Bhardwaj have engaged in public spats on several issues reflecting the uneasy relations between them.

 

Recently, the Governor had even asked Chief Minister Yeddyurappa to tender an unconditional apology over his reported remarks on illegal mining, further infuriating BJP.

 

He had also objected to state ministers attacking him for referring the bill on cow slaughter to the President, saying as a Brahmin, he need not learn about cow protection from BJP.

 

Naidu also said the outcome of the bye-elections in Karnataka and Gujarat was a "slap" on the face of Congress. He noted that BJP won by about 20,000 votes in Kathlal (Gujarat) Assembly seat, which had been held by Congress since the state’s formation in 1960.

 

Naidu also alleged that the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh has "totally collapsed". "High Court (in Andhra Pradesh) is not able to function. One High Court judge has resigned. Congressmen are fighting like anything," he said.