As Counting is complete in 222 of 224 seats of the Karnataka assembly elections. No single party was able to win a majority of 112 seats, giving Karnataka a hung assembly, which lead to negotiations and post-poll alliances on Tuesday. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats but fell short of complete majority. The Congress with 78 seats, and the JD(S) with 37 seats were quick to join hands and stake claim to form the government with 117 seats (with the support of 1 BSP and 1 Independent).
Both the parties on Tuesday evening met the Governor Vajubhai Vala and stake claim to form the government.
While BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate Mr Yeddyurappa says he should be given the first chance, Congress leaders argue, as they with JD(S) have the numbers to form the govt.
Unhappy over Congress decision of supporting JD(S), few Congress MLAs from the Lingayat community are in touch with the BJP, sources.
Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said, “All the Congress MLAs are intact and we are confident of forming the government.”
On being asked if Congress MLAs would be shifted somewhere else, DK Shivakumar, said, “Yes, definitely there is a plan. We have to safeguard our MLAs.” “They (BJP) are poaching our MLAs, we know that. There is a lot of pressure. But it not that easy as the two parties, Congress and the JD(S), have the necessary numbers. People are watching this,” he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “the BJP may be the single-largest party, but it doesn’t have the numbers and the Governor cannot take sides. Can a person who is there to save the Constitution, destroy it too? The Governor has to cut all its previous associations, be it BJP or RSS.”
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party national vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said that he is confident that Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala will respect the party’s position as the single-largest one and invite it to form the government.
BS Yeddyurappa met Governor Vala today and staked claim to form government in the state. “I met the Governor and handed over letters of support that we have. He told me he will take the appropriate decision as early as possible. We have full confidence he will take a decision immediately.”
Meanwhile JD(S) MLA A Manjunath said, “HD Kumaraswamy will be the CM and there will be a coalition government. That is the only truth. People want him to be the CM. These kinds of mechanisations will happen but the fact is that HD Kumaraswamy will be CM. We won’t be influenced by anyone,” he added.
All eyes are now on Governor Vala.
