BJP Will Give Stable, Development-Oriented Govt Under Yediyurappa In Karnataka: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah on Friday congratulated B S Yediyurappa after he took oath as Karnataka chief minister, and expressed confidence that the party will run a stable, pro-farmer and development-oriented government under him.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah. PTI

NEW DELHI: BJP president Amit Shah on Friday congratulated B S Yediyurappa after he took oath as Karnataka chief minister, and expressed confidence that the party will run a stable, pro-farmer and development-oriented government under him. "Congrats to BS Yediyurappa, newly sworn in CM of Karnataka. I am sure under his leadership and under the guidance of PM Modi, BJP will give a stable, pro-farmer and development oriented govt in the state. I assure people of Karnataka that BJP is committed to fulfil their aspirations," Shah, also the Union home minister, tweeted. Meanwhile, BJP working president J P Nadda dismissed the Opposition's claim that the saffron party engineered defections to bring down the Congress-JD(S) government, saying that it fell due to internal reasons and asserted that his party would provide a stable government in the state. "They (Congress-JD-S) fell under their own weight due to internal reasons...The BJP is synonymous with stability. Wherever we go, we bring stability," Nadda said. Asked about the fact that BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, who took oath as chief minister, is over the 75-year age bar the party has stipulated for its leaders holding any government position, he played it down. Yediyurappa was the leader of the BJP legislature party in the state and it was natural for him to be the party's choice for the chief minister's post, he said. "It depends," he said when quizzed about the party's age-bar and then added, "you see, first of all he is a leader, he is an elected leader of the legislature party. Accordingly, he is taking oath. It is a continuous process and the party takes note of ongoing developments from time to time." As the leader of opposition he is alright and the day he takes oath the question is asked about his age, he said, adding that it does not work like that. The BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its president Amit Shah has introduced the 75 years limit for ministers in the party-run governments as well as for its candidates in the recent Lok Sabha election to ease out many veterans, including L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Sumitra Mahajan among others. Asked about reports that some rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs may be accommodated by the BJP government in Karnataka as ministers, Nadda said it is for these MLAs to decide their future course of action. To a question about two BJP MLAs in Madhya Pradesh voting with the ruling Congress in the state assembly recently, he said the party is keeping a watch on the development there.