Congress, govt trade charges over Karnataka, Opposition stages walkout in LS

New Delhi: The Congress, Trinamool Congress and several other Opposition parties staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha on Wednesday accusing the BJP of engaging in “conspiracy” and “horse-trading” to topple the ruling Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka even as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi rubbished the allegations and said the MLAs had resigned following resignation of Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that there was “martial law” in Maharashtra and that Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar who had gone to Mumbai in an apparent effort to meet rebel party MLAs was surrounded by police and his hotel booking was canceled.
Joshi countered the allegations saying Congress MLAs had written to Mumbai Police Commissioner that they faced “threat” from Shivakumar and security had been provided to them.
The political crisis in Karnataka figured for the third successive day in the Lok Sabha with Congress members again resorting to sloganeering and coming to the well of the House to lodge their protest. A party member was also holding a placard.
The Congress protest drew wider support with Trinamool Congress and some other parties.
Chowdhury sought to raise the issue after Question Hour but Speaker Om Birla told him that the issue had been raised over the past two days. However, Congress members persisted with their demand. They later went to the well of the House and started raising slogans.