"Karma Catches All, Spares None": BJP's Ram Madhav To Congress-JD(S)

New Delhi: BJP general secretary Ram Madhav today saw 'karma' catching up with the Congress-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka as he recalled the dismissal of the BJP government in Gujarat in 1996 involving some of the key protagonists in the political drama unfolding currently in the southern state. HD Deve Gowda, now JD(S) president, was the prime minister at the time, the then Gujarat Governor Krishna Pal Singh was a former Congress leader and the state BJP chief was Vajubhai Vala, now the Karnataka governor, Mr Madhav said, sharing a "interesting note" he received on WhatsApp.

The then president, Shankar Dayal Sharma, had imposed the President's Rule in the state on the recommendations of the Gowda government, supported by the Congress.

Suresh Mehta was the state chief minister and had proved his government's majority in the assembly but was dismissed for alleged constitutional crisis in the state.

"Karma comes to haunt the Congress in Karnataka after 22 years," the post shared by Mr Madhav on social media said.

"How is this story relevant after 22 years in Karnataka? Because those quoting verses of morality, constitutional ethics & conventions were perpetrators of murdering democracy and numerous elected governments right from Nehru," it said.

"The Congress-JD(S) today want Vajubhai to be merciful reminding him of his duty. But then there's Karma- Catches all, spares none," it added.

Both the BJP and the Congress-JD(S) alliance have staked claim to form government in Karnataka after the assembly election result threw up a hung verdict.

Shankersinh Vaghela, who had raised a banner of revolt in the BJP in Gujarat, had the "open support" of the Congress to split the BJP but its government still proved its numbers in the assembly, the post said.

The governor, however, "surpassed" his constitutional reach and sent a report to the Centre, saying law and order had collapsed and the state faced a constitutional crisis, the post claimed.

"Within 15 minutes of the file reaching the then prime minister's table, the state govt of Gujarat was dismissed and the President's rule imposed," it claimed.