Will win Karnataka struggle: Gadkari

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will emerge victorious from the Karnataka crisis, despite the Congress's effort to "destabilise" the state government, party president Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

“We will definitely win this struggle, we are going the democratic way, constitution is with us, and definitely we will win,” Gadkari told reporters here. “The majority is with us, 114 legislatures are sitting here, we have letters from seven people,” he said.

Gadkari blamed the Congress for making an attempt to destabilise the state government through governor H.R. Bhardwaj. “Governor did it with the blessings of the Congress high command. They know they cannot defeat us by democratic means, so they used the governor to destabilise our government,” he said. “We will present the facts with evidence in front of the president. I believe constitution and democracy will win in this struggle,” he added.

Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yedyyurappa is scheduled to meet President Pratibha Patil here on Tuesday evening with all his legislators. With the Supreme Court May 13 striking down the disqualification of 11 BJP and five independent legislators of Karnataka, Bhardwaj is reported to have recommended president's rule in the state to the Central government.

However, the 11 BJP legislators have extended their unconditional support to the Yeddyurappa government, effectively taking the party's strength in the state Assembly to 121. The United Progressive Alliance government and the Congress party are reportedly not very keen on imposing president's rule in Karnataka or dismissing the state government, as it may lead to a sympathy vote for the BJP when the next assembly polls are held.