Congress President Rahul Gandhi claims that BJP is trying to poach our leaders and has asked Ghulam Nabi Azad to put up a “full fight” and approach court if Karnataka governor calls the BJP first to form the government.
The Congress party is planning to move its MLAs to a resort in order to prevent “poaching by the BJP”. Congress leader Madhu Goud Yaskhi alleges that the BJP tried to poach our MLAs. They even used the I-T department to threaten out party workers, he alleged.
Following the Karnataka polls counting that began on May 15, BJP has bagged 104 seats whereas the Congress has won in 78 constituencies, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s party JD(S) and its pre-poll ally BSP have 38 seats. No single party got a clear majority and the contesting parties BJP and the JDS-Congress alliance are trying hard to form the government in Karnataka. It now simply depends upon Governor Vajubhai Vala to decide whom to call first to form the next government in the state.
“We have 117 lawmakers, well above the majority mark,” outgoing Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters.
However, BJP’s leader KS Eshwarappa says his party is in touch with “some” Congress and JD(S) MLAs as we hope to form an alliance.
“He first preside over a meeting of BJP lawmakers after which all of them will meet the governor and request him to allow the BJP to form the government on the grounds of being the single largest party,” said BJP’s chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurapa.
According to reports, Congress-JDS alliance, is likely to meet the governor on 16 May with a letter signed by 118 lawmakers in support of JD (S)leader HD Kumaraswamy, having “unconditional support” of the Congress Party.
The BJP at this moment is still short of eight members to form the majority but expected to get the first shot at the government formation. The party must have 112 seats to form a government in 224-members Karnataka assembly.
