Congress corners BJP over Yeddyurappa appointment as Karnataka chief

Bangalore: Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for appointing former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa as its Karnataka state president, the Congress Party on Saturday said that the move showed the saffron party has got nothing to do with `honestly` in politics.

"Appointing Yeddyurappa as the party chief in Karnataka shows that they are bothered only about politics. They have nothing to do with honesty in politics. Yeddyurappa is facing serious charges of corruption and yet he has been such a responsibility. Only time will now tell as to what happens when such a tainted person is given such a responsibility," Congress leader P.L. Punia told ANI.

The Janata Dal (Secular) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had also slammed the BJP over Yeddyurappa`s appointment, with JD (S) leader Danish Ali, saying the saffron party is patronising the corrupt and criminals in the party.

Yeddyurappa had quit the BJP after being accused of corruption and later rejoined it.The Lingayat strongman, who is credited with providing the BJP its first success in South India, faced a tough tenure as chief minister from 2008 onwards after a Lokayukta report accused him of corruption.

He was then forced to resign and formed the Karnataka Janata Paksha in 2012. He was brought back to the BJP just before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.