BJP indulged in “wholesale” trade of MLAs, says Siddaramaiah

PTI, Jul 23, 2019, 5:40 PM IST

Bengaluru: Congress leader Siddaramaiah Tuesday accused the BJP of trying to topple the H D Kumaraswamy government and come to power through backdoor using bribery and “whosesale” trade of MLAs.

Speaking during the debate on the confidence motion moved by Kumaraswamy in the assembly, Siddaramaiah alleged that “Rs 20,25 and 30 crore” were offered to lure the MLAs and asked “Where did this money come from?”

“It is a black mark on political history in the State,” Siddaramaiah, who is the chairman of the Congress-JDS coalition coordination committee and leader of Congress Legislature Party, said.

Siddaramaiah said, “everyone… 99 per cent of the people know that BJP is behind this (toppling game). Say it openly.”

“If you feel that you will come to power by murdering democracy, it will backfire on you. If at all Yeddyurappa forms the government, you will be there for six months or one year,” Siddaramaiah told the BJP leader.
Stating that 15 MLAs resigning was nothing but “wholesale trade,” he said, “no democratically elected government can survive with such wholesale trade.”

He said BJP with 105 MLAs should have worked as a strong opposition but by using wrong means was attempting to form the government through the backdoor.

“This is condemnable. Defection is a disease and it needs to be controlled.”

“Any layman can draw the inference that BJP is behind the defections. People of the state will not forgive you.You will know in the next election,” Siddaramaiah told the BJP.