Congress accuses BJP of conspiring to topple Karnataka

The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP in Lok Sabha of "conspiring to topple" the government in Karnataka, demanding that the saffron party should be stopped from resorting to such "dirty" politics.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during Zero hour, Congress' Leader of the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused the BJP of resorting to "horse trading" to bring the elected Congress legislators in its fold.

The Congress members staged a protest on the floor of the House and raised slogans accusing the BJP of "murdering the democracy" before they staged a walkout from the House on the issue.

"Martial law is being applied in Maharashtra. Karnataka Irrigation Minister D K Shivakumar was prevented by Mumbai police from entering the hotel where our MLAs are kept. They (government) are murdering the democracy," Chowdhury alleged after he was allowed to speak in the House.

The BJP defended the charge with Union Minister Prahlad Joshi saying Shivakumar was prevented from entering the hotel because all the MLAs had sought protection from Mumbai police chief claiming that they had a threat to life from Shivakumar.

"All the MLAs have given it in writing to the commissioner, saying that there is a threat to them from D K Shivakumar. That is why they are being given protection," Joshi told the Lok Sabha.

Joshi had brought up with him a copy of the letter that rebel MLAs had written to the Mumbai Police Commissioner.

The House saw the acrimonious exchange of words between the Congress members and those from the BJP when Chowdhury raised the issue.