Accusing BJP of pursuing "policy of coercion and arm-twisting", Congress said the ruling party in Karnataka did not allow state Advocate General B V Acharya to perform his duty there.

"BJP has always followed a policy of pressurisation, coercion and arm-twisting to cover their malpractices. It is unfortunate that the Attorney General has been not allowed to perform his Constitutional duties," Congress leader and I&B Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here.

"This incident comes after three BJP party ministers violated the sanctity of the legislative assembly in Karnataka. Such a government should not be running the state of affairs there. They should relinquish their offices," she said.

Acharya had resigned yesterday after the state government asked him to hold the post of either the AG or Special Public Prosecutor.

Referring to the resignation of BJP ministers Laxman Savadi, C C Patil and Krishna Palemar who were caught watching sleazy clippings inside the state Assembly, Soni said that the resignations were "meaningless" and only a "cover up" and the BJP leadership should have "expelled" them.

"They (BJP) are not doing so because they fear that the BJP government in Karnataka will fall short of numbers and the government will have to go," she claimed.

Referring to the yesterday's observation of the Karnataka Hight Court regarding "inaction" of Modi government during post-Godhra riots, Soni said "that was enough for a government in the office to hang its head in shame".