Cong-JD(S) govt in Karnataka an opportunistic alliance: BJP

The BJP today slammed the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka as an "opportunistic alliance" and described the presence of a host of opposition leaders at H D Kumaraswamy's swearing-in ceremony as a "celebration of corruption".

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said opposition parties were free to "daydream" of taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in elections and feel happy about it following the formation of a government in Karnataka, but the fact was that it was against the popular mandate.

"It is an opportunistic alliance which is against the popular mandate. If they feel good about it, let them feel happy," he told reporters while responding to a question on the opposition observing the day as 'anti-BJP day'.

 

"They are free to daydream but by forming an opportunistic alliance in Karnataka they cannot stop the march of Narendra Modi and his government," he said.

The show of strength with the presence of a galaxy of national leaders and regional satraps at the swearing in ceremony of Kumaraswamy as the state's chief minister was being seen as an indicator of a broad-based anti-BJP front to take on the ruling NDA in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

The BJP boycotted the ceremony and observed a "black day" during which it held statewide protests against the new coalition government, which it called "unholy".

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra referred to presence of opposition leaders, some of whom have faced corruption charges, and said the event was a "celebration of corruption".

Countering the claim of the Congress that it will expose the BJP government on its fourth anniversary, which falls on May 26, he said people have been exposing the opposition party by handing it defeats in a number of polls, including in Karnataka, and they have stood by Modi.

"They (opposition leaders) may be together but voters are standing with Modi," Patra said, claiming that the Karnataka government was a betrayal of the popular mandate.