BSP rushes senior party leader to Karnataka to ‘protect’ lone MLA

The BSP chief on Thursday said the policies of the BJP were dangerous for democracy and that the latter was trying to weaken the Constitution.

Fearing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may poach its lone legislator N Mahesh in Karnataka, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati has sent a leader from the party to keep a watch on him.

BSP chief Mayawati interacts with former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda during a campaign for Karnataka Assembly Elections in Mysore. (PTI File Photo)

“The BJP government at the Centre is misusing power to form government in Karnataka the way it did in Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya,” Mayawati said.

A senior BSP leader familiar with the development said the party had sent its zonal coordinator and Rajya Sabha member Ashok Siddharth to stay in touch with party legislator N Mahesh, who was elected from the Kollegal constituency in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka.

“Since the BJP requires eight MLAs to prove majority in Karnataka, fear of horse-trading looms large. BJP leaders had reportedly contacted Mahesh and his family to pursue him to support Yeddyurappa. Alarmed over this, Mayawati has directed Siddharth to visit Bengaluru and remain in touch with Mahesh,” he said on condition of anonymity. He added that Siddharth, who is BSP in charge of Karnataka, was ensuring that BJP leaders did not succeed in wooing him.

“Mahesh has informed the BSP leaders that he has rejected the BJP’s offer and told them to contact party national president Mayawati. He will support the Janata Dal (Secular),” he said.

The BSP chief on Thursday said the policies of the BJP were dangerous for democracy and that the latter was trying to weaken the Constitution. “The JD(S)-BSP-Congress alliance had the numbers to form government in Karnataka, yet the governor administered oath for the post of CM to BS Yeddyurappa which is condemnable,” she said.