President Ram Nath Kovind is a 'rubber stamp' and Maharashtra Governor an 'agent' of the BJP, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao said Saturday after saffron party installed its government in Maharashtra in an unexpected development.

"It's a black day for democracy, which has been murdered overnight. Our heads hang in shame the way the President acted. While he's the BJP's rubber stamp, the governor is the BJP's agent. This is a coup," Rao told reporters. 

"Overnight, I don't know what report the Governor submitted to the Centre and on what basis he thought a stable government can be formed. Then, early in the morning at 5.45 am, the President signed it," Rao said. "The BJP has been given a week's time to do horse-trading and prove majority. Do we even have democracy left? This is such a blatant naked dance," he said. 

'No morality left in politics'

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) also lamented the development in Maharashtra. "NCP had continuously fought against the BJP. Now, the two have formed the government. No one in politics has morality left and no one can discuss anything about morality, including me," he said.