Arrogance caused BJP's defeat: Swamy

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Saturday fired the first salvo at the central leadership on Karnataka developments, saying that "monopoly and arrogance" resulted in party "snatching" defeat from the jaws of victory.

Warning that the "new front" that needs to be watched is "the imploding economy," Swamy tweeted, "the real issue in recent events in Karnataka is that BJP snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Monopoly and arrogance causes that."

Swamy did not name anyone in particular, but he appeared to be articulating the views of a section in the party about the way in which the party conducted the elections and post-election strategising. He referred to pooling of the brains, in an indication that some leaders could also have added to the BJP armoury.

"Let us not forget the bottomline: BJP increased MLAs two and half times to 104 and first past the post. Two big losers banded together and are slated to form the govt. In other words let us get our act together and pool our brains," Swamy's another tweet said.

He also sought to flag his relationship with H D Deve Gowda, the chief of JD(S) that struck a post-poll coalition with Congress to form a government.

"During 1980s, Deve Gowda and I had been together closely working. At one stage, he was Karnataka JP (Janata Party) president and I was JP president. I protected him from Hegde and brought him down. After I return from California, I am going to meet Deve Gowda," he said in another tweet.