Siddaramaiah behind instability: Pralhad Joshi

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi charged that Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah himself was the mastermind behind the instability in the coalition government in the State.

"Siddaramaiah does not want H D Deve Gowda family to be in power and an alternative leadership in the Congress in the form of G Parameshwara. Therefore, he is trying to destabilise the government," Joshi said.

He told media persons here on Saturday that BJP has no role in the episode of ruling MLAs resigning. At present, no discussion about State politics is going at the level of the BJP central leadership. If the coalition government falls, the BJP would take a suitable decision about forming the government, as imposing mid-term elections on the people of the State is not correct, he noted.

In reply to Siddaramaiah's criticism against the Union Budget, Joshi said, he might not have read the copy of the budget which has farsightedness.

Rs 60,000 crore is allocated for the MGNREGS, and it was just Rs 47,000 crore when the UPA was in power. Congress is the reason for the farmers' distress. He says the budget neglected farmers, but he did not work for farmers' welfare when he was the chief minister, due to which Congress was defeated in Assembly polls, Joshi criticised.