BJP: It has no moral right to protest

New Delhi, March 14

The BJP today reminded Congress of instances when non-Congress governments were dismissed and governments formed in Jharkhand, Bihar, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh “misusing powers and Article 356”.

“The Congress did not allow largest party to form the government (in the past). It has no moral right to criticise. If anyone in the country has violated democratic traditions, it is Congress,” said Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

Given that Congress “failed to muster the numbers”, there was no way Goa Governor Mridula Sinha could have possibly invited the minority of 17 MLAs to form government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley reasoned. Jaitley dismissed Congress’ complaint—of it “stealing” the mandate in Goa—as “a bit too much”. Jaitley, in FB post, said the debate between largest single party lacking majority versus a combination of parties constituting a majority was answered by ex-President KR Narayanan when he invited Atal Bihari Vajpayee to form the government. — TNS