Karnataka Government Formation: BJP’s Yeddyurappa Meets Governor; Congress, JD-S Struggle to Keep Flock Together

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs reached the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Vajubhai Vala and staked claim to form government in Karnataka.

Bengaluru, May 16: Karnataka political scenario is getting intense with each passing second. On one hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs reached the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Vajubhai Vala and staked claim to form government and on the other, it is being reported that 66 Congress MLAs out of the 78 reached to attend the party’s legislative meeting at Karnataka Party Congress Committee office in Bengaluru. Reports of two Janata Dal-Secular MLAs missing from JD(S) legislative meeting also surfaced. (Click for LIVE updates on Karnataka Government Formation)

Speaking to the media after meeting Governor, Karnataka BJP Legislative Party Leader BS Yeddyurappa said, “The party has chosen me. I have given the letter to the Governor & he will call me, that is what I am hoping. He told me that he will take an appropriate decision. I’ll inform you after I receive letter from Governor.”

On the other hand, Congress leader MA Patil, while rejecting the claims of a rift in the party, said, “We are all together All this is false news. In fact there are 6 BJP people, who are touch with us.” Another leader, NA Harris said, “We have to protect the verdict of the people. They (BJP) are doing bad politics. We don’t have to stoop down to their level. We are 118 in number number, we don’t want anyone. No body has called me to the resort.”

Earlier in the day, the Congress alleged that the BJP is trying to ‘poach’ their MLAs in an attempt to establish majority to form the government in Karnataka. “They (BJP) are poaching our MLAs, and we know that. Every day, there is a lot of pressure. But it not so easy, as two parties have the necessary numbers. However, we are taking all necessary steps,” Congress leader DK Shivakumar was quoted as saying by ANI. He also claimed that a plan has been chalked out to safeguard them.

Congress Accuses BJP of Trying to Poach its MLAs

Congress leader Amaregouda Linganagouda Patil Bayyapur has asserted of receiving a call from the BJP leaders. “I got a call from the BJP leaders. They said come to us & we’ll give a ministry to you. We’ll make you a minister. But, I’m going to stay here. HD Kumaraswamy is our Chief Minister,” he said.

Meanwhile, reiterating that the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance would form the government in Karnataka, outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “All the Congress MLAs are intact. Nobody is missing. We are confident of forming the government.”

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “The single largest party doesn’t have the numbers. BJP has 104, we (Congress & JDS) have 117. Governor cannot take sides. Can a person who is there to save constitution, destroy it too? The gov has to cut all its previous associations, be it BJP or RSS.”

JD(S) MLAs Absent From Party’s Legislative Meet

Amidst the political huddle in Karnataka, reports of two JD(S) MLAs Raja Venkatappa Nayaka and Venkata Rao Nadagouda remaining absent from the party’s legislative party meeting which is going on in a hotel in Bengaluru, surfaced. Earlier, JD(S) leader Saravana had alleged the BJP of offering the MLAs to join it. “I don’t know what they (BJP) are offering but they are trying to call our people, but they are not responding. We are all together, no one can touch our party. Our party MLAs are loyal to the party,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking on BJP’s alleged attempts of trying to poach JD(S) MLAs, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “JD(S) has all the faith in their MLAs. Nobody is going to go away. Let BJP try, whatever they want to.”

JD(S) Decides to go With Congress

JD(S) chief ministerial candidate HD Kumaraswamy was quoted as saying that the party has already decided to go with the Congress. “We have already decided to go with Congress. That’s the reason we called Janta Dal (Secular) Legislature Party meeting. There is no question of taking any other decision,” he said.

Karnataka Elections 2018 Results were announced on Tuesday in which the BJP, with 104 seats, emerged as the single largest party, while the Congress and JD(S) bagged 78 and 37 seats, respectively. Soon after, the Congress announced that it would support the JD(S), taking their total seat share to 117, thus resulting in a fractured mandate.

The final decision will be taken by the Governor, Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala.