Congress says BJP in "give & take" deal with Jaya for NDA support

BANGALORE: The Advocate General row in Karnataka intensified today with Congress leader M Veerappa Moily charging the BJP with entering into a "give and take" with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to secure her support for the NDA.

B V Acharya, the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) trying Jayalalithaa in the wealth case against her, has maintained that he quit as Advocate General following pressure from the state government, which wanted him to give up the post of SPP contending that he was holding two positions. He chose to continue as SPP.

Speaking to reporters here, the Union Corporate Affairs Ministers said the BJP high-command wanted Acharya to give up the post of SPP. "That means there is a quid pro quo between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and BJP".

"That means they (BJP) want to favour Jayalalithaa. It's so open, so shameless...", the former Union Law Minister charged.

"They wanted to dilute the case just to earn support to NDA....make her to support NDA," he alleged.

"This kind of give-and-take, quid pro quo" and "interference" in judicial process should be condemned heavily, the former Karnataka Chief Minister said and noted that when the AG's post was offered to Acharya, the Government was fully aware that he was also serving as the SPP.

Moily said the BJP (allegedly) exerting pressure on Acharya to quit as SPP "may even amount to contempt of court", adding, it's for the judiciary to look into "how this amounts to interference in the administration of justice".

He lauded Acharya for retaining the post of SPP, saying any other opportunistic lawyer would have chosen to keep the AG position which is "high pedestal, important and more remunerative".