BJP calls for state-wide Karnataka bandh, except Bengaluru, on Monday

BENGALURU: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a state-wide bandh in Karnataka on Monday. The strike will, however, not be held in the state capital Bengaluru.

On Friday, the saffron party had threatened to hold a state-wide bandh on May 28, if Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy fails to waive off farmers loans by then.

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy will meet Prime Modi Narendra Modi at 11 am on Monday. The meeting will be held to seek co-operation from the Center in the development of the state.

The state-wide bandh was announced by the BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, following which the party walked out of the state legislative assembly prior to Kumaraswamy's floor test.

BJP leader R Ashoka had said they will be aggressive on the issue of the farmers' loan waivers and will take action if the state government does not take action soon.

Responding to this, Shivakumar had said they would not act under pressure and wish of the BJP.

The Congress-JDS alliance together with two independent candidates has 117 MLAs, six more than the majority required to form a government in the state. All the 117 MLAs had voted in Kumaraswamy's favour in the floor test on Friday.

The floor test was considered significant for the Congress-JDS alliance after the BJP decided not to go for floor test as it did not have the required number of members to establish its claim to run the government.

Yeddyurappa, who first took oath as chief minister, had opted to resign as the BJP was seven short of the simple majority mark of 111 in the 221-member assembly.

(With inputs from agencies)