The Opposition parties — especially the Congress and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) — are day-dreaming of coming back to power, said former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader SM Krishna.

Interacting with reporters ahead of by-elections to 15 Karnataka Assembly seats scheduled on December 5, Krishna said: “On December 9, when the results are out, the BJP, which is likely to get good number of seats will be shattering their dreams.”

This reaction comes close on the heels of a few senior Congress and JDS leaders, especially Veerappa Moily, Mallikarjun Kharge, HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy, airing their views and speculating in public about re-grouping after the by-elections. Krishna said, “As Opposition parties are day-dreaming, we (BJP) are going about our job of wooing voters.

“People are disillusioned after experiencing Congress-JDS coalition government which was direction-less government for 14 months. After a bitter experience, 17 MLAs realised the development aspirations of the people couldn’t be met by the coalition government prompting them to resign and join the BJP,” added Krishna.

The 85-year-old leader has been roped in for the last two days to campaign for the official candidates in Chikkaballapur and a few seats in Bengaluru city.

“Only the victory of the BJP in the by-polls will ensure a stable government and thereby an undisturbed development trajectory in Karnataka,” claimed Krishna.

The BJP has 105 legislators in the Assembly and enjoys the support of one independent MLA, taking its strength to 106. It needs to win at least seven seats to ensure a simple majority in the House.

Claiming to have played a limited role in the collapse of Congress-JD(S) coalition government, Krishna said: “There are many of my old followers and friends in Congress. They visit me regularly to enquire of my well-being. They were politically confused. In the well-being of the State, we discussed many things including the need to pull down the then government.”

Talking about developments in Maharashtra and its impact in Karnataka, Krishna said: “What can be said of Maharashtra need not be said of Karnataka. Our State is a different political entity. Here the question is of a stable government and respecting the mandate of the people of 2018.”

Published on December 3, 2019