Prime Minister Narendra Modi should probe BJP MLAs who tried to bribe Karnataka Congress and JDS lawmakers, says Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should prove to nation his commitment to fight against corruption, said the Congress.

A day after the two-day Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government toppled in Karnataka, the Congress has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must act against party MLAs allegedly indulging in “corruption” in the state.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said that the Prime Minister must launch a probe against those who made attempt to bribe members of the Congress and the Janata Dal Secular (JDS).

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should prove to nation his commitment to fight against corruption. (He should) launch a probe against those who called Congress and JDS MLAs, and offered bribe to break the rock-solid coalition,” said Shergill.

“We hope Prime Minister orders probe into corruption which their MLAs were indulging in,” said the Congress leader.

JDS leader Danish Ali, meanwhile, said that the alliance of Congress and JDS will be “really long”. He further said, “You will see the alliance grow stronger in the Lok Sabha elections too.”

The fresh attack by the Congress comes a day after party president Rahul Gandhi said that BS Yeddyurappa’s resignation as Karnataka Chief Minister was befitting in the wake of BJP leaders “rampantly indulging in corruption”.

Referring to Prime Minister Modi as corrupt, the Congress president had alleged that the BJP strongman had allowed the party to use money power to buy out Congress and JDS MLAs. "You've seen openly how the PM directly authorized purchasing of MLAs in Karnataka. So the idea that PM spreads in the country that he is fighting corruption, is a blatant lie. He is corruption," he said in a press conference.

"BJP has been attacking every institution of democracy. I am proud that opposition stood together and defeated the BJP (in Karnataka) and we will continue to do so," Rahul Gandhi further said.

Accusing the current government of being dictatorial in nature, Rahul said Yeddyurappa's decision to resign even before the floor-test showed just why 'truth matters above everything else.' "Did you notice that after the entire exercise in Karnataka Vidhan Sabha, the BJP legislators and speaker chose to leave the house before the national anthem? It shows they can disrespect any institution if in power," he said.