Around 10 BJP MLAs in touch with us: Zameer Ahmed Khan

Hubli: The state Minister and senior Congress leader Zameer Ahmed Khan on Sunday, May 12 said that BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa was daydreaming about coming to power and claimed that around 10 saffron party legislators were in touch with his party.

Addressing presspersons here he said, “From the day we formed the government, the BJP has been trying to topple the government and it is not something new. From that day they have been giving deadlines to the government.

“A BJP leader has spoken about 20 Congress MLAs; today 9-10 BJP (MLAs) are in touch with us,” he claimed.

Khan’s comments come two days after Yeddyurappa had said the longevity of the state government would depend on the stand taken by about 20 disgruntled Congress legislators after the Lok Sabha election results.

“It is true that the BJP people are in touch with us. Not from today, (but) for two-three months, nine-ten BJP MLAs are in touch with us,” he said.

When asked about the names of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators who are in touch with the Congress, the minister said: “Let the BJP give the names of 20 Congresspeople, we will also give the names of nine BJP people.”

Claiming that nothing would happen, Khan declared that he would retire from politics if the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government falls after the election results on May 23 and challenged the BJP leaders to do the same if the coalition continues.

State Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao also hit out at the BJP over its claims and said the results would “shut the mouths” of those speculating about the fall of the coalition government.

“Earlier, too, they (BJP) had said the government will fall after Diwali, then Sankranti. They don’t believe in their statements themselves. They don’t have the guts, so they are making such false statements,” Rao said.

Both the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are baffled as they know their defeat in the polls is imminent, the Congress leader told reporters in Hubli.