Amith Shah, Rahul in twitter war over 'murder of democracy'

Facing attack from Opposition ranks, BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday defended his party's government formation in Karnataka, saying the 'murder of democracy' happened when Congress and JD(S) came together for "petty gains".

Shah's response came soon after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to castigate "BJP’s irrational insistence" to form a government despite having no numbers in Karnataka, describing it as a "mockery of our Constitution".

The twitter war erupted after B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister on Thursday morning, hours after Governor Vajubhai Vala invited him to form the government through a post-poll alliance of Congress and JD(S) claimed support of 117 MLAs, five above half-way mark.

"This morning, while the BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy," Rahul tweeted. Shah responded through a series of tweets, saying, "the ‘Murder of Democracy’ happens the minute a desperate Congress made an ‘opportunist’ offer to the JD(S), not for Karnataka’s welfare but for their petty political gains. Shameful!"

He also sought to remind Rahul of Congress actions previously which he sarcastically referred to as a "glorious history" that the party itself had forgotten. "The legacy of Mr Rahul Gandhi’s party is the horrific Emergency, blatant misuse of Article 356, subverting the courts, media and civil society," he added.

"Who has the people’s mandate in Karnataka? The BJP, which has won 104 seats. Or Congress which dropped to 78 seats, whose own CM and ministers lost by big margins. JD(S) who won only 37 seats and lost their deposits on several others. People are wise to realise," Shah argued.

However, Opposition parties were not impressed with Shah's arguments. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said referring to the invite to BJP to form the government, BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "wilfully destroying principles and norms of democracy. Will elections be done away with next? Who needs mandates if this can be done so brazenly?"